2012/13 UEFA Champions League technical report - UEFA.org

Technical report 2012/13

2012/13 UEFA Champions League technical report

Contents Introduction...............................................................2

Ball possession.................................................... 43

The way to Wembley..........................................4

Passing....................................................................... 45

Bayern win the endgame............................ 12

Discipline.................................................................. 46

The winning coach........................................... 17

Cards............................................................................ 47

Goalscoring analysis........................................ 18

Offsides...................................................................... 48

Technical topics.................................................. 30

2012/13 all-star squad................................. 49

Crossing..................................................................... 38

Results........................................................................ 52

Going the distance........................................... 39

Team profiles........................................................ 54

Talking points....................................................... 40

CONTENTS

1

TECHNICAL REPORT

Group A

Group B

Introduction The Technical Report on the 21st season of UEFA Champions League football is the first to be included in an overall review which embraces commercial, marketing, financial and broadcasting aspects of Europe’s prime club competition – although it is also being produced as a limited-edition stand-alone technical publication for a small target group of front-line coaches. As usual, the Technical Report sets out to provide a permanent record of the 125 matches played during the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League season. The design has

been modified with a view to presenting factual and statistical information in a reader-friendly format. However, in an era when data are more widely available than ever before – notably on UEFA’s own website – the focus shifts slightly towards the interpretation of statistics, blended with the input from the team of UEFA technical observers who attended the 29 matches played during the knockout stages of the competition, including the final disputed by two German clubs at Wembley Stadium in London.

This mix of facts and observations seeks to provoke as well as to inform. The objective is to provoke analysis, reflections and debate which, it is hoped, will give technicians food for thought and, by highlighting tendencies and trends at the peak of professional club football, also supply coaches who are active in the development levels of the game with information that may be helpful in terms of working on the qualities which will be needed by the players and coaches who will take leading roles in shaping the UEFA Champions League of the future.

GNK Dinamo Zagreb (DZ)

FC Dynamo Kyiv (DK)

Paris Saint-Germain FC (PSG)

FC Porto (POR)

Group C

RSC Anderlecht (AND)

Málaga CF (MAL)

FC Zenit St Petersburg (ZEN)

AC Milan (ACM)

Olympiacos FC (OLY)

FC Schalke 04 (SCH)

AFC Ajax (AJX)

Borussia Dortmund (BVB)

Manchester City FC (MC)

Real Madrid CF (RM)

Group F

Juventus (JUV)

FC Nordsjælland (FCN)

FC Shakhtar Donetsk (SHK)

Group G

FC Barcelona (BAR)

Montpellier Hérault SC (MH)

Group D

Group E

Chelsea FC (CHL)

Arsenal FC (ARS)

FC BATE Borisov (BTE)

FC Bayern München (BAY)

LOSC Lille (LIL)

Valencia CF (VAL)

Galatasaray AŞ (GAL)

Manchester United FC (MU)

Group H

SL Benfica (SLB)

Celtic FC (CEL)

FC Spartak Moskva (SPM)

SC Braga (SCB)

CFR 1907 Cluj (CFR)

Note: The above abbreviations are used for the club names on pages 54 - 87 2

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 2012/13

INTRODUCTION

3

COMPETITION OVERVIEW

The way to

Wembley

The 2012/13 season was high on entertainment value and low on goalless draws. The 96 matches played during the group stage yielded only four stalemates – two of them involving SL Benfica who, nevertheless, were among the most prolific of the 32 competitors in terms of generating goal attempts. The final group standings offered further conflicting evidence. Chelsea FC emerged as leading scorers with 16 goals yet refuted the traditional adage that ten points are sufficient to guarantee progress and became the first defending champions to exit the UEFA Champions League before Christmas. The dozen matches played in Group E generated 44 goals – half of them conceded by plucky Danish club FC Nordsjælland who, playing their home games in Copenhagen, approached their debut in the competition with panache against rivals who had all previously lifted UEFA titles. The group stage was marked by even more conflicting evidence. On the one hand, the fact that only four teams negotiated their

4

six-match programme without suffering a defeat suggested an elevated degree of competitiveness. On the other hand, the points difference between first and last in the eight groups ranged from seven to 14 points – a statistic which implies clear superiorities. Thirteen of the qualifiers for the knockout stage of the tournament were known before the final matchday. However, the points difference between second and third was zero or one in four of the groups – meaning that the last fixtures in the group stage harboured strong incentives for sides who were keen to progress further in the prime competition or to ensure European continuity by securing the third place which earned a transfer into the UEFA Europa League.



5

Jack Wilshere helped Arsenal reach the last 16 for the 13th year running

In marked contrast to the previous season (when five teams had qualified for the knockout phase with fewer than ten points), only AC Milan progressed to the last 16 without reaching double figures. Curiously, Massimiliano Allegri’s men failed to win a match at San Siro in Group C – and this was a symptom of a widespread trend. No fewer than 51 of the 96 games were not won by the host club – a fact which hints at more adventurous tactical strategies by visitors. In Group H (featuring Manchester United FC, Galatasaray AŞ, CFR 1907 Cluj and SC Braga), seven of the 12 games were away wins and 19 of the 32 goals were scored by visiting teams. That group also provided one of the comeback scenarios which have become almost a hallmark of sides coached by Fatih Terim. After taking one point from their opening three matches, Galatasaray won their last three fixtures (two of them on foreign soil) to snatch second place from CFR Cluj. The latter were one of six clubs to change their head coach during the six-game group phase and, like Milan, the Romanian team picked up more points on their travels than they did at home – three of their nine goals coming from classic counterattacks.

The young Spain winger Isco shone for group-stage newcomers Málaga, scoring twice as they hit the ground running against Zenit

6



This speciality also allowed Viktor Goncharenko’s FC BATE Borisov to make an eyebrow-raising start to their Group F campaign. Copybook counterattacks coupled with proficient long-range shooting earned an impressive 3-1 victory at LOSC Lille and, in the following fixture in Minsk, BATE became the first of only two sides to beat Jupp Heynckes’ FC Bayern München. This alerted the opposition, to the extent that the remaining four matches yielded four defeats for the Belarusian champions, during which 13 goals appeared in the debit column. In Group C, Málaga CF had embarked on their UEFA Champions League debut with similar momentum by posting 3-0 wins over FC Zenit St Petersburg at home and against RSC Anderlecht in Brussels. Unlike BATE, however, Manuel Pellegrini’s team sustained their pace and, by taking four points from Milan, effectively ensured top spot in the group. Much the same applied to Carlo Ancelotti’s Paris Saint-Germain FC, who celebrated a long-awaited return to the competition with five Group A victories and a solitary loss at FC Porto. FC Barcelona eased through Group G as expected, but without making too much noise and needing to come from behind to

earn home wins against FC Spartak Moskva and Celtic FC with late goals. The latter had recorded their first victory in 21 away games in the competition with a 3-2 success in Moscow and a return victory in Glasgow on the final matchday allowed the Scottish club to rub elbows with the elite in the last 16 for the first time in five seasons.

Celtic had a famous night against Barcelona, Tony Watt scoring

7

Dortmund fans keep their eyes on the prize ahead of the quarter-final second-leg match against Málaga

Zlatan Ibrahimović celebrates a goal for a PSG side who finished top of their group on their return to the competition after an eight-year hiatus

Javier Hernández struck twice as Manchester United came from two goals down to beat Braga 3-2 in an exciting contest at Old Trafford

Porto’s Nicolás Otamendi holds off Málaga’s Isco but the Spanish team came back to eliminate the Portuguese in the last 16

Lionel Messi, who finished the campaign with eight goals, turns away from Riccardo Montolivo during Barcelona’s round of 16 first-leg defeat in Milan

8



9

The semi-final draw pitted Spaniards against Germans, with the latter staking their claims to a trip to Wembley by striking four times apiece in the home legs. After a stinging 4-0 reverse in Munich, Barcelona’s comeback hopes were ended by an Arjen Robben goal soon after the break at the Camp Nou, while Real Madrid’s recovery from a 4-1 deficit against Dortmund didn’t materialise until the dying minutes at the Bernabéu – their two goals one short of an away-goal miracle. As in the previous season, those who predicted an all-Spanish final had been confounded and, at Wembley, it was to be a case of wondering whether the two Bundesliga teams were about to erase the benchmarks which, at club and national team levels, had been laid by Spanish football.

Manchester United’s round of 16 defeat against Madrid proved to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s last tie in the competition

One of Celtic’s potential opponents were FC Schalke 04, who had come through Group B unbeaten and who had laid claim to top spot by beating Arsenal FC in London. The Gunners had, at least, survived. England’s representation was halved by Chelsea’s demise and the failure of Manchester City FC to win a game in a fiercely competitive Group D, where they had to take on AFC Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid CF.

‘Bayern were confirmed among the favourites with a rampant 3-1 win against Arsenal in London’ When the ball started rolling after the winter break, Madrid emerged as one of just two group runners-up to eliminate a group winner. Their victims were Manchester United who, after a 1-1 draw in Spain, took a 1-0 advantage at home only to concede twice while trying to come to psychological terms with the dismissal of Nani early in the second half. Schalke were the sole other group winners to lose out, despite holding Galatasaray to a draw in Turkey. Terim’s team produced another phoenix-from-the-ashes act in Gelsenkirchen to prevail 3-2 but, against Madrid in the quarter-finals, gave their escapology qualities little or no chance after a 3-0 reverse at the Santiago Bernabéu. They displayed enough pride and resilience to come back and win 3-2 at home, but the goals shipped in Madrid proved to be too much ballast.

10

In the meantime, Málaga were making club history by bouncing back from a pallid performance in Porto to beat Vítor Pereira’s side 2-0 at La Rosaleda, where they then played out the only goalless draw of the knockout rounds against Dortmund. The scoreline did not match the quality of the spectacle and a major upset seemed to be on the cards when Pellegrini’s team were leading 2-1 in Germany with the 90 minutes completed. Málaga’s dreams, however, were rudely shattered by two added-time goals for the hosts, who had previously eliminated Mircea Lucescu’s FC Shakhtar Donetsk. PSG maintained their impressive form by hitting Valencia CF hard on the counterattack in Spain and then coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw in Paris. They subsequently mounted another fightback to draw 2-2 with Barça at the Parc des Princes – and then went 1-0 ahead at the Camp Nou. A reply by Pedro Rodríguez, however, tilted the balance in the Catalan side’s favour in one of two knockout ties to be decided by away goals. The other involved the eventual champions. Bayern prompted observers to confirm them among the favourites with a rampant 3-1 win against Arsenal in London – only to allow their opponents to become the second (and last) team to beat them by succumbing 2-0 in a nervy home leg. There were no such lapses of concentration in the quarter-final against Juventus who, having emphatically ended Celtic’s run with home and away victories, fell victim to Bayern’s power play, going down 2-0 in both Turin and Munich. The round of 16 had produced six away wins and four draws, but home rule largely prevailed thereafter – the remaining 12 fixtures yielding seven home wins and three stalemates.

‘At Wembley it was to be a case of wondering whether the two Bundesliga teams were about to erase the benchmarks laid by Spanish football’

Pablo Piatti tries to get the ball in as Valencia come up short against PSG

Andrés Iniesta’s efforts were in a losing cause as Barcelona lost heavily to Bayern

İlkay Gündogan puts Sami Khedira under pressure as Dortmund overwhelm Madrid in their semi-final first leg



11

THE FINAL

Bayern win the

endgame

‘It was all about power, drive and drama at breakneck speed. But, amid the relentless action, the chess masters, Jürgen Klopp and Jupp Heynckes, moved their pieces with assurance and precision’

The scenario was perfect. The playing surface, impeccably showered and manicured, offered an invitation to play flowing football. The temperature was one of those English irrelevancies somewhere between hot and cold. German voices built a wall of sound. And Wembley Stadium was ablaze with colour: the striking contrast of Borussia Dortmund’s black and yellow at one end; the red of FC Bayern München at the other. Expectations were high – and met. With local clocks showing 19.45 sharp, Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli signalled the commencement of a spectacle which somehow blended the ingredients of a game of chess with a James Bond movie. It was all about power, drive and drama at breakneck speed, with all the gadgets of modern football. But, amid the relentless action, the chess masters, Jürgen Klopp and Jupp Heynckes, moved their pieces with assurance and precision. Both coaches knew surprise factors would be needles in haystacks – and spent no time looking for them. The teams, recent opponents in both Bundesliga and German Cup, enjoyed a familiarity which might have bred many things, but certainly not contempt. The 86,000 spectators might have sensed an air of mutual respect – not that it meant any holds being barred. As the sides faced up, they saw mirror images. Bayern lined up in a clear 4-2-3-1 formation; Dortmund in similar style with two controlling midfielders but with the proviso that the wide men started deep enough for the structure to bear a 4-4-1-1 label. Both had athletic, adventurous full-backs to contribute to attacking options in the wide areas: Łukasz Piszczek and Marcel Schmelzer were to invest more sprints than any of their team-mates on the Dortmund right and left respectively; on the Bayern flanks, a contrast between Philipp Lahm, a ‘veteran’ captain of 29 with vast experience at UEFA European Championships and FIFA World Cups, and the exuberant 20-year-old Austrian, David Alaba. Their biographies were different; their contributions were the same

12

as they assisted two of the team’s key figures: the right-footed Franck Ribéry on the left; and the left-footed Arjen Robben on the right. Between the Frenchman and the Dutchman, Bayern’s attack was supported by the ubiquitous Thomas Müller, who covered 12km and provided defensive cover in front of the two screening midfielders, the two-footed Bastian Schweinsteiger and the right-footed Spanish international Javi Martínez. Dortmund’s equivalent was the partnership between the athletic, hard-running Sven Bender and the quick feet, low wheel-base and creative skills of İlkay Gündoğan. There had been pre-match speculation about how much Mario Götze would be missed in Dortmund’s line of three. With his end-of-season move to Bayern already announced, he had produced an outstanding performance in the semi-final against Real Madrid CF, running and probing tirelessly across the attack. His failure to recover from injury allowed Kevin Grosskreutz to take his place alongside Jakub Błaszczykowski and Marco Reus.


THE FINAL

13

After half an hour on the back foot, Bayern produced two moves which were to change the course of the match. First, Müller joined Ribéry and Alaba to overcrowd an area wide on the left and, with the defenders sucked towards him, hit a diagonal pass to Robben, a lone red figure in the right-centre area of the Bayern attack. Weidenfeller again came bravely and resolutely to the rescue at the feet of the Dutch forward. Then, three minutes before the break, Dante, once again playing patient interchanges with team-mates at the back, lifted his head – and the ball. His long, almost vertical forward pass went narrowly over the head of Mats Hummels but fell awkwardly for Robben. Again, the danger had passed – but not the significance of the fact that Bayern had finally found a way to disturb the Dortmund defence and to map out a route to goal. The ball over the top was to become a valuable weapon in their attacking armoury.

Manuel Neuer stops Robert Lewandowski from giving Dortmund tangible reward for their early superiority at Wembley

While the football world was debating the pros and cons of Spanish striker-less formations, the two German sides offered contradictory evidence. They both had spearheads – and sharp ones at that. For Bayern, Mario Mandžukic contributed power runs and intelligent off-the-ball movements aimed at stretching the Dortmund defence and giving depth to the attack. At the other end, Robert Lewandowski, the four-goal hero against Real Madrid, performed an identical role. Like his counterpart, he was far removed from classic images of the static target man whose priority was to ‘stay fresh in the penalty area’. Neither held anything in reserve as they committed themselves to providing an aggressive first line of defence. Contrary to form books, yellow-and-black shirts were more visible during the opening sequences, where the action took place at speed. In a final notable for the high standards of its goalkeeping, Bayern’s Manuel Neuer was the first to be tested, leaping, reacting and diving to deal with a curving long-range shot by Lewandowski, a low close-range effort by Błaszczykowski, a Reus strike, and another curling effort from Bender who had surged forward into a shooting position.

14

During this phase, it was Dortmund acting; Bayern reacting. Heynckes’ team struggled to deal with intense high pressure from their opponents coupled with swift changes of pace and direction when Dortmund regained possession. The combinations between Reus and Lewandowski were testing the understanding between the Bayern centre-backs, Dante and Jérôme Boateng. The red line was pushed back, with Schweinsteiger often finding himself in among the back four; too deep to exploit his distributive skills to the full. Against their will, Bayern focused on forming a compact defensive block and trying to mix rapid defence-to-attack transitions with patient building from the back based on interchanges between the centre-halves and Schweinsteiger. Finding no clear signposts towards the Dortmund goal, their first real glimpse of a pathway came when Ribéry was able to cross from the left and Mandžukić rose above Bender to connect with a header that allowed Roman Weidenfeller to start rivalling Neuer for goalkeeping kudos. Schweinsteiger’s deliveries from set plays asked questions of the Dortmund defence, with Martínez back-pedalling and then launching himself forward to outleap Bender and to head a corner on to the roof of the net.

‘The Bayern players who experienced the bitterness of defeat in the previous final seemed determined to sweat to the last drop to exorcise the ghosts of their past’

bitterness of defeat in the previous final seemed determined to sweat to the last drop to exorcise the ghosts of their past. Ribéry and Robben chased back like men possessed to harry, disrupt and dispossess in their own defensive third. They clipped the wings of Dortmund full-backs Piszczek and Schmelzer, seemingly without doing any clipping of their own attacking potential on the flanks.

The curtain came down on a first act dominated by Dortmund. But when it went up again 15 minutes later, it was to reveal a different scenario. Mentally, the seven Bayern players who experienced at first hand the

Schweinsteiger moved forward a fraction – enough to offer greater scope for his vision and, at the same time, to help Martínez slice through the attacking cord which had, in the first half, linked Reus and Lewandowski.

Mario Mandžukić breaks the deadlock for Bayern while (above) both sets of supporters proudly show their colours


İlkay Gündoğan’s equaliser earns him a hug from Marcel Schmelzer

Jupp Heynckes and Jürgen Klopp issue instructions at Wembley

THE FINAL

Gündoğan continued to probe and prompt from his central controlling position but he found that doors had become more difficult to open. Slowly but surely, in the chess game played before a crowd of 86,000, Bayern were advancing their pieces and Dortmund, with the threat of the long ball over the top exerting a deterrent factor, were stretching their lines and losing compactness. Bayern pronounced ‘check’ in the 60th minute. Dortmund’s pressure high on the left had forced a back pass to Neuer, who delivered the ball to the centre circle. Robben set off on a run through the No10 channel and passed left to Ribéry. It was a four v five situation in favour of the defenders but, when Ribéry cut inside, three of the five were drawn to him like wasps to a honeypot. He slipped the ball to Robben who, with Weidenfeller going to ground at his feet, cut the ball across for Mandžukić to side-foot in from point-blank range. While a swarm of Bayern players did their best to topple an advertising board, Heynckes raised his arms and managed a smile. Klopp was out issuing instructions. If anything, the tempo increased – to the extent where it became risky to blink. It was a moment of impetuousness which brought Dortmund level eight minutes later. Reus’s control of a pass into the box flipped the ball up high and Dante was drawn into aiming a boot at it while it was still at stomach height and making contact with the Dortmund player’s abdomen. After an agonising wait, Gündoğan kept his cool to clip the penalty neatly into his right-hand corner of the net, with Neuer flying in the other direction. 15

THE WINNING COACH

Stalemate. Or so it seemed. Until the 89th minute, when Boateng, from the centre circle, directed another long ball towards the heart of the Dortmund defence, where minds might have already been straying to thoughts of extra time. Ribéry was allowed to control and execute a back-heeled pass into the path of Robben, who skipped and cut past three defenders to his left and, as Weidenfeller advanced, rolled the ball agonisingly close to the keeper’s left hand and into the net.

Jupp Heynckes The end of an era or the beginning of one? A few minutes after a grinning Jupp Heynckes had been thrown into the Wembley air by his team, the 68-year-old coach was talking to media about FC Bayern München and the players rather than himself. “I’m pleased on behalf of my club,” he said, “because we have achieved something that had never been accomplished in the Bundesliga. And it’s quite possible that a new era in Europe, under Bayern, might have begun.”

‘The ball rolled agonisingly close to the keeper’s left hand and into the net’ The coaches, who had made no changes during the 90 minutes, reached for the substitution board four times during additional time and when the Italian referee blew the final whistle, Robben, red wristbands on each arm, covered his eyes with his fists and buried his head on the turf. He and his team-mates had laid to rest the ghosts of two defeats in the previous three finals. That career-shaping experience, the composure and the mental strength had given them the edge in a breathless, all-action final in which Dortmund had won the first half but Robben and Bayern had won the endgame.

The moment of truth arrives as Bayern winger Arjen Robben steers the ball beyond Roman Weidenfeller

They were typically selfless sentiments from a man who, for the second time in a long and illustrious career, had gone into the UEFA Champions League final well aware that his managerial reign was drawing to a close. In 1998 Real Madrid CF released him after he had led them to their seventh European crown in Amsterdam. In London, he completed a unique hat-trick. Three times he has participated in the UEFA Champions League as a coach and three times he has led his side to the final. His 37 matches over the three campaigns produced 26 wins, six draws and five defeats.

Thomas Müller (left) screams in celebration as Bayern players pile onto match winner Arjen Robben

Match statistics

Victory at Wembley was a reward for the motivational skills which had persuaded his

Saturday 25 May, Wembley Stadium

Borussia Dortmund 1-2 FC Bayern München Goals

Dortmund: Weidenfeller (C); Piszczek, Subotić, Hummels, Schmelzer; Błaszczykowski (Schieber 90), Bender (Şahin 90+2), Gündoğan, Grosskreutz; Reus; Lewandowski

He implemented his strategy for the season in a typically understated fashion – with a tranquillity and elegance which he transmits from the technical area. In a sense, the ultimate accolade came from a figure within the Bayern dressing room: “The team is enjoying its football so much that if he said there was a friendly against an amateur team at two o’clock in the morning, everyone would want to play.” Heynckes added: “We had a team spirit and an ability to work together that I had never experienced – a group of top-class professionals who were all equipped to play in the first team. They all pulled their weight.”

The UEFA observers at the semi-finals and the final felt that this was epitomised by the way that Franck Ribéry, for example, made enormous efforts to backtrack against FC Barcelona’s Daniel Alves and Borussia Dortmund’s Łukasz Piszczek – or the way that Arjen Robben did likewise on the other flank to emerge as the player who did the most sprinting in the final. “As a coach, you have to lead a group,” Heynckes remarked, “and that means you have to be sensitive and tactful with high-calibre footballers. Without top-class players, you can’t play the sort of football that Bayern did. They made me happy because winning the Champions League is the highlight of a coach’s career. To be in it three times and win it twice is not something that happens to everybody.” To his credit, he took his players back from Wembley, pulled them out of celebratory mode and restored enough fire to their bellies for them to win the German Cup a week later to round off his memorable achievements at Bayern with an unprecedented treble of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League trophies.

“We didn’t drop our heads after last season’s final. We pushed ourselves further and we worked harder”

0-1 Mandžukić 60, 1-1 Gündoğan 68 (P), 1-2 Robben 89 Lineups

squad to bounce back from the traumatic penalty shoot-out defeat by Chelsea FC at Bayern’s home ground a year earlier. And he made no secret of the fact that man-management skills were an essential ingredient for success. “Over your career,” he commented, “there are titles, highlights and disappointments – and you have to draw strength from all of that. We didn’t drop our heads after last season’s final. We pushed ourselves further and we worked harder. Right from the start of the season, we’ve been changing, improving and adapting.”

Philipp Lahm lifts the European Champion Clubs’ Cup as the Bavarians bury the ghosts of recent final defeats

Bayern: Neuer; Lahm (C), Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Martínez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Müller, Ribéry (Luiz Gustavo 90+1); Mandžukić (Gomez 90+4)

Jupp Heynckes

Cards Yellow: Grosskreutz 73 (Dortmund); Dante 29, Ribéry 73 (Bayern) Referee Nicola Rizzoli (Italy) Attendance 86,298

16


THE WINNING COACH

17

GOALSCORING ANALYSIS

Goals talk

Open play

Net results from a record-breaking season Statistics and football are not always comfortable bed-fellows. But a goalscoring record cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed. The 2012/13 season offered the public 368 goals at an average of 2.94 per match. It represented a significant 6.67% increase on the previous season and, even taking into account the various changes of format, the average per match was the highest ever registered since the UEFA Champions League was launched two decades ago. The eventual champions, FC Bayern München, led the way with 31 goals in 13 games. In contrast to the previous four campaigns, Lionel Messi was not the competition’s top scorer (that honour went to Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed 12 of Real Madrid CF’s

26 goals) and, although FC Barcelona reached the semi-finals in both seasons, the Catalans’ goal tally declined from 35 to 18. Bayern’s goals were shared among ten players, while the 24 goals scored by the silver medalists, Borussia Dortmund, bore nine different signatures. The theory that successful teams need to diversify their scoring options was belied by Galatasaray AŞ striker Burak Yılmaz, who hit six of the Turkish cub’s seven goals during the group stage. Among the leading marksmen, he and Dortmund’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski could be categorised as target strikers. Ronaldo usually operated wide; much the same could be said of Bayern’s Thomas Müller, who broke into scoring areas from a deeper starting position; and Messi

Goal type Category

Set play

In 2011/12, the four semi-finalists had provided 35% of the season’s goals. In 2012/13, this dropped to 24%, emphasising that the goals were distributed more widely around the competitors. Excluding the three goals scored on neutral territory at Wembley, 202 were netted by the home team and 163 by the visitors. Inevitably, a degree of personal interpretation creeps into the analysis, but the following goalscoring chart outlines the technical/ tactical actions which led to the 368 goals.

Goals: season by season Action

Guidelines

2012/13

Season

No. of goals

1992/93

56

25

2.24

Corners

Direct from / following a corner

32

1993/94

71

27

2.63

Direct from a free-kick

11

1994/95

140

61

2.30

Free-kicks (indirect)

Following a free-kick

11

1995/96

159

61

2.61

Penalties

Spot kick (or a follow-up)

20

1996/97

161

61

2.64

Throw-ins

Following a throw-in

1

Wall pass / three-man combination play

48

Crosses

Cross from the wing

58

Cutbacks

Pass back from the byline

38

Diagonals

Diagonal pass into the penalty box

16

Running with the ball

Dribble and close-range shot / dribble and pass

17

Long-range shots

Direct shot / shot and rebound

49

Forward passes

Through pass or pass over the defence

52

Defensive errors

Bad back pass / mistake by the goalkeeper

7

Own goals

Goal by the opponent

8

Total

368

1997/98

239

85

2.81

1998/99

238

85

2.80

1999/2000

442

157

2.82

2000/01

449

157

2.86

2001/02

393

157

2.50

2002/03

431

157

2.75

2003/04

309

125

2.47

2004/05

331

125

2.65

2005/06

285

125

2.28

2006/07

309

125

2.47

2007/08

330

125

2.64

2008/09

329

125

2.63

2009/10

320

125

2.56

2010/11

355

125

2.84

2011/12

345

125

2.76

2012/13

368

125

2.94

6,060

2,283

2.65

Total

18

Goals Games Average

Free-kicks (direct)

Combinations

Open play

had a deeper-lying central role in Barcelona’s striker-less formation. Apart from these five, no other individual scored more than five times.


Goals scored in open play accounted for a few decimal points short of 80% of the overall goal tally. Among the salient features of the global analysis is the continuing decline of goals attributable to the traditional ‘through ball’ – the forward pass delivered either through or over the defence. As recently as the 2008/09 campaign, this category had produced 32% of the open-play goals. By 2012/13 this had fallen to 18%. The debating point is whether this can be directly attributed to the trend towards compact defensive blocks with, in many cases, twin screening midfielders coupled with front-line defensive work by support strikers. The other noticeable feature of the season was a significant increase in goals derived from slick combination moves – epitomised once again by Barcelona. The equaliser at home to Celtic FC was a work of art based on an elaborate build-up, a double wall pass and a magnificent finish by Andrés Iniesta. Two more trademark moves appeared during the 4-0 home win against AC Milan in the round of 16: firstly when a swift combination enabled Messi, surrounded by five opponents, to strike the ball into the roof of the net to open the scoring; and then when an interception by Javier Mascherano led to a combination move rounded off by the left boot of David Villa.

Alex Teixeira’s near-post strike against Juventus came at the end of a flowing move from Shakhtar

And the Catalans’ last goal in the competition was a high-speed combination between Messi and Villa, who laid the ball back for Pedro Rodríguez to clinch the away-goals victory over Paris Saint-Germain FC in the quarterfinals. The ability to find routes through the defensive block does not carry a Spanish copyright. FC Shakhtar Donetsk, for example, provided some flowing combinations such

GOALSCORING ANALYSIS

David Villa sweeps the ball home to conclude another Barcelona surge in the home win against Milan

as the move completed by Alex Teixeira to earn a 1-1 draw against Juventus in Turin. The barriers to penetration through the central area meant that supply from the wide areas continued to be a major source of goals. However, the nature of the supply suffered subtle variations during the 2012/13 campaign. The number of successes of the traditional ‘crossing and finishing’ formula actually fell very slightly (from 62 to 58 / from 23% to 19.8% of the open-play goals). As an aside in this chapter, the number of headed goals (including those scored from indirect free-kicks) was 46. This was in sharp contrast to the figures which had provoked media coverage during UEFA EURO 2012, where headed goals had accounted for 29% of the total. Over the larger sample of the 125 games played in the UEFA Champions League, this figure returned to a less noteworthy 12.5%. These facts can legitimately be correlated with one of the other statistical trends to appear in 2012/13. The number of goals originating from cutbacks – which had already almost doubled from 2010/11 to 2011/12 – continued to rise sharply, reaching an all-time peak of 38. The season witnessed some wonderful examples, such as the excellent diagonal pass to the right which resulted in a cutback and a finish by Pantelis Kapetanos that put CFR 1907 Cluj 1-0 up at home to Manchester United FC. Galatasaray’s 3-2

home win in the quarter-final against Real Madrid offered three more instances, with Sami Khedira and Karim Benzema cutting the ball back for Ronaldo to strike his two goals, while Wesley Sneijder delivered the cutback from the left which invited Emmanuel Eboué to hit an unstoppable shot into the Madrid net. The other upturn – which can also be related to the prevalence of deep-lying defensive blocks – corresponded to long-range shooting, which accounted for 17% of the open-play goals. Málaga CF were proficient in this area – as illustrated by Isco’s effort against FC Porto or Joaquín’s in Dortmund. SC Braga’s Mossoró was alert and on target after a poor clearance during the home game against Galatasaray. Both Chelsea FC goals in the home draw with Juventus were from distance; Montpellier Hérault SC’s Karim Aït-Fana released a stunning strike to open the scoring after a long build-up had prompted the FC Schalke 04 defence to drop deep during the group game in Gelsenkirchen; Luka Modrić reversed the tide at Old Trafford during the first knockout round when, after intervening eight times during the build-up, he struck a bullseye shot off the post and into the Manchester United net to bring Madrid level. The statistics, in addition, don’t reflect the number of long-range shots which, thanks to rebounds, resulted in close-range goals.

19

The best goals

Set plays

Cristiano Ronaldo managed an unrivalled 12 goals for Madrid but not one was a free-kick

The number of goals derived from dead-ball situations continued the steady downward trend seen in recent seasons. Set plays accounted for almost one-third of the goals scored in the 2005/06 campaign and the figure was still around the 26% mark as recently as the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons. During 2012/13, dead-ball situations generated marginally over 20% of the goals. The main reason for the 2% drop in relation to the previous season is a sharp fall in the number of penalties: from 28 to 20. The fact that the number of penalties doubled between the 2009/10 and 2011/12 campaigns was, inevitably, linked to the introduction of the additional assistant referees. However, shades of meaning need to be drawn: the number of penalties which failed to hit the net increased. So like-for-like comparisons indicate that the number of penalties awarded decreased from 35 to 29. In recent years, the dividends from investment in training-ground rehearsal of corner kicks had steadily dwindled to an average of one goal per 46 corners. During the 2012/13 season, corners led to 32 goals at a ratio of one per 40.5. During the group stage, AFC Ajax scored four of their eight goals from corners, with central defender Niklas Moisander a particular threat. Celtic registered two goals from back-post headers after corners on their right. Juventus scored 20

one of the best set-play goals with a well-rehearsed corner on the right, while PSG achieved one of their three successes via a short corner on the right which was driven low into the net to open the scoring at home to GNK Dinamo Zagreb. On the other hand, Barcelona had nothing to show from 74 corners (apart from their opening goal in Paris which could be traced back to a corner on the left). The same applies to the 71 taken by Real Madrid, with the codicil that the opener in their 2-2 home draw with Dortmund in the group phase was a back-post header from a left-wing cross; the scorer – centre-back Pepe – was still in the opponents’ box in the aftermath of a corner. Of the two finalists, Bayern’s two goals from corner kicks were second-ball successes following headers, while Dortmund scored twice (once from each flank) during the last-16 tie against Shakhtar. From that knockout stage on, observation of opponents practically eradicated the surprise factor. Successes from direct free-kicks rose from eight to 11 but still accounted for only 3% of the goals scored in the competition. There were spectacular one-off strikes (Chelsea’s David Luiz v FC Nordsjælland in Copenhagen or the strike by the latter team’s Mikkel Beckmann at home to Juve), but very few specialists managed to surprise the wall and the keeper more than once. Bayern were the only side to have two successes – one a direct shot by Bastian Schweinsteiger at home to LOSC Lille and the other an Arjen Robben effort later in the same match which was deflected into the net via the wall. Indirect free-kicks which had, for many years, produced over 20 goals a season, declined to a total of 11 in 2011/12 and held the lower level during the 2012/13 campaign. In other words, free-kicks, of the direct and indirect varieties, yielded 29% of the set-play goals but just 6% of the overall total. The 2012/13 UEFA Champions League has gone into the record books due to numerical motives. But many of the record-breaking 368 goals were of a spectacular nature which further enhanced the status of the world’s premier competition and which highlighted the goalscoring patterns at the apex of the professional game.

When the goals were scored

41

55

(15%)

61

7

(16.5%)

(2%)

(11%)

First half 1-15 Minutes

59

(16%)

16-30

57

(15.5%)

31-45

45+

66

22

(18%)

(6%)

Second half First half 46-60 Minutes

61-75

76-90

90+

When UEFA started compiling technical reports in the 1998/99 season, one of the salient features was that 53% of the goals were scored after the 60th minute. It may be an indicator of fitness levels that this figure has now been reduced substantially to 40%. The second halves of games are still more productive (204 goals to 164) but the 2012/13 campaign confirmed the tendency towards cautious starts followed by greater numbers of goals in the closing minutes of each half. Considering that we’re talking about periods of three to four minutes, the total of 22 scored in added-time has to be regarded as exceptional.

Top scorers

12 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF)

10 Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund)

8

Open play Selecting ten from 293 is a challenge. Many excellent goals were inevitably left out. But the jury of front-line coaches managed to pick a variety of goals for a variety of reasons. Iniesta’s equaliser against Celtic was a breathtaking combination move. Robben’s opener for Bayern in Barcelona was not only excellently worked but also was crucial in putting the semi-final beyond Barça’s reach. Galatasaray forward Burak had several strikes on the shortlist of candidates, thanks largely to his exceptional ability to angle headers into the net from any position. Didier Drogba, his attacking accomplice during the knockout rounds, effected a magical piece of technique to back-heel into the Real Madrid net during the return leg of the quarter-final. Málaga’s Isco also provided options – and entered the top ten courtesy of the control, body movement and strike which allowed his side to level the KO tie against Porto. Modrić, with a pinpoint shot that the keeper could do nothing about, rounded off an elaborate move that he had run almost single-handed, to bring Madrid back to 1-1 at Old Trafford.

Here in alphabetical order are the season’s top ten (player’s team in bold):

Scorer

Home team

Away team

Time

Jordi Alba

FC Barcelona

AC Milan

90+1

Didier Drogba

Galatasaray AŞ

Real Madrid CF

72

Andrés Iniesta

FC Barcelona

Celtic FC

45

Isco

Málaga CF

FC Porto

43

Robert Lewandowski

Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid CF

55

Luka Modrić

Manchester United FC

Real Madrid CF

66

Oscar

Chelsea FC

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

40

Arjen Robben

FC Barcelona

FC Bayern München

49

Pedro Rodríguez

FC Barcelona

Paris Saint-Germain FC

71

Burak Yılmaz

SC Braga

Galatasaray AŞ

58

Chelsea’s Oscar was rewarded for his vision and the execution of his long-range effort against Shakhtar. The goal scored by Barça’s Pedro was chosen not only because of the high-speed combination which preceded it, but also for its value in that it clinched the away-goals victory over PSG. Lewandowski’s alertness, speed of reaction, turning ability and sheer striking power were illustrated by the third of his four goals in the home leg of Dortmund’s semi-final against Madrid. And the stunning counterattack which capped Barça’s 4-0 home win against Milan was remarkable not just for its execution but also for the long high-speed run made by the scorer, Jordi Alba. Not all full-backs would have been mentally or physically prepared to make such a burst with 90+1 on the clock.

Burak Yılmaz (Galatasaray AŞ) Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München)

Didier Drogba

Galatasaray v Madrid UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 2012/13

THE BEST GOALS

21

Pedro Rodríguez Barcelona v PSG

Andrés Iniesta

Arjen Robben

Jordi Alba

Isco

Robert Lewandowski

Burak Yılmaz

Barcelona v Celtic

Barcelona v Bayern

Málaga v Porto

Dortmund v Madrid

Braga v Galatasaray

Luka Modrić

Oscar

Manchester United v Madrid

Chelsea v Shakhtar 22

Barcelona v Milan


THE BEST GOALS

23

Set plays Here, the task was to choose five from 75. The jury again went for variety. If a curling free-kick was to be rewarded, they felt nobody could bend it like Beckmann – as he did to score Nordsjælland’s first-ever goal in the competition against Juventus. The Danish team were on the receiving end of an equally meritorious free-kick struck in a quite contrasting fashion by Chelsea’s Luiz. Danny Welbeck’s opening goal against Real in Madrid was a prime example of finding space

to connect with a close-range header from a corner, with much the same applying to Felipe Santana’s clean header for Dortmund at home to Shakhtar. Another corner, but of very different confection, brought Juve back to 1-1 against Shakhtar in Turin. A well-rehearsed set play was based on a low delivery to the outer area of the box, where Leonardo Bonucci met the technical challenge of finding the correct angle and execution for his low shot into the net.

Leonardo Bonucci Juventus v Shakhtar

Here in alphabetical order are the season’s top five (player’s team in bold):

Scorer

Home team

Away team

Time

Mikkel Beckmann

FC Nordsjælland

Chelsea FC

79

Leonardo Bonucci

Juventus

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

25

David Luiz

FC Nordsjælland

Chelsea FC

79

Felipe Santana

Borussia Dortmund

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

31

Danny Welbeck

Real Madrid CF


20

Felipe Santana Dortmund v Shakhtar

Mikkel Beckmann Nordsjælland v Chelsea

Danny Welbeck

Madrid v Manchester United 24


THE BEST GOALS

David Luiz

Nordsjælland v Chelsea 25

STATISTICS

Importance of scoring first Borussia Dortmund was ‘accidental’ bearing in mind the adventurous approach adopted by both teams. Ironically, two of the four goalless draws registered during the group stage involved SL Benfica – the irony being that, as mentioned elsewhere in this report, the Portuguese club generated more goal attempts per game than any other participant. The statistic of five goalless draws marks a record low since the UEFA Champions League adopted its current format. By comparison, the 125 matches played in the 2005/06 campaign included 20 fixtures which gave no work to the scoreboard operator.

During the 2012/13 season, 69.2% of the games in which goals were scored resulted in victories for the team that opened the scoring. This represents an increase in relation to the 2011/12 campaign when 62.3% of the teams scoring first emerged victorious. However, the figure is more readily aligned with the 2010/11 season in which the record set in 2004/05 was equalled – no fewer than 72% of the fixtures played were won by the team scoring first. The impact of the opening goal seemed to have lessened when, during the seasons subsequent to that record-setting 2004/05 campaign, the percentage steadily declined – to the extent that, in 2008/09, only 56.8% of matches were won by the side breaking the deadlock.

The teams who bounced back after conceding the first goal were (in bold): Montpellier 1-2 Arsenal Real Madrid 3-2 Manchester City CFR Cluj

In a season which broke the UEFA Champions League scoring record, the number of goalless draws dropped from nine to five but, as in 2011/12, just one of them was played during the knockout rounds. And, in this particular case, the 0-0 draw between Málaga CF and

Manchester United

Montpellier 1-2 Olympiacos Ajax

3-1

Barcelona

2-1 Celtic

Manchester City

Manchester United 3-2 Braga

As in 2011/12, 15 games culminated in victory for the side conceding the opening goal – representing one in eight of the matches which produced goals. Four of these occurred during the knockout rounds – one of which was the win for Real Madrid CF at Old Trafford, with the Spanish club making their comeback after the home team had been reduced to ten men. Fatih Terim’s Galatasaray AŞ were the protagonists of two of the other three cases – fighting back to claim 3-2 victories against FC Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen and against Madrid at home. The fourth also ended in a 3-2 scoreline, with two added-time goals giving Dortmund a home success in the quarter-final against Málaga.

The overall figure of 27 draws represents a slight downturn in comparison with the 31 stalemates during the 2011/12 season, but is a ‘halfway line’ between that number and the 23 draws in the previous campaign. Only seven of the drawn games occurred during the knockout rounds.

1-2

Braga 1-3 Manchester United Nordsjælland 2-5 Shakhtar Donetsk Braga 1-2 Galatasaray Olympiacos

2-1 Arsenal

Schalke 2-3 Galatasaray Real Madrid

Manchester United

1-2

Dortmund

3-2 Málaga

Galatasaray

3-2

Real Madrid

Result of the team scoring first

26

WINS

DRAWS

DEFEATS

0-0

83

22

15

5

66.4%

17.6%

12%

4%


Gary Hooper scored Celtic’s opening goal in both of their Group G victories against Spartak Moskva

IMPORTANCE OF SCORING FIRST

27

SHOTS ON GOAL

The end product A record total of 368 goals signified an abundance of the ‘end product’. The champions, FC Bayern München, were also the top scorers with 31 goals: 15 in their six group games and 16 in their seven fixtures in the knockout stages. The ‘end product’ can be correlated with previous debating issues based on the relevance of ball possession as a means to an end. The following table sets out the 32 teams’ performances in terms of

generating goal attempts (see ‘average’ per game) and converting them into goals. Some of the figures catch the eye – such as the conversion rates by the two Portuguese clubs who occupy two of the top three places; or the fact that most of Real Madrid CF’s finishing was from outside the penalty area; or that 66% of Borussia Dortmund’s attempts at goal were on target. James Rodríguez lets fly for Porto against PSG

Club

Attempts

Average

Goals

Attempts on target

Attempts off target

Inside box

Outside

Inside box

Outside

SL Benfica Real Madrid CF SC Braga FC Schalke 04 FC Bayern München Juventus Chelsea FC FC Barcelona Manchester United FC FC Shakhtar Donetsk Galatasaray AŞ Borussia Dortmund FC Porto Montpellier Hérault SC LOSC Lille AC Milan Paris Saint-Germain FC FC Zenit St Petersburg AFC Ajax Manchester City FC Olympiacos FC RSC Anderlecht CFR 1907 Cluj Celtic FC FC Dynamo Kyiv Málaga CF Valencia CF FC BATE Borisov FC Spartak Moskva GNK Dinamo Zagreb Arsenal FC

111 218 99 126 202 151 89 176 117 116 139 174 107 79 78 102 124 74 69 64 62 59 59 78 58 96 75 53 53 49 64

18.50 18.17 16.50 15.75 15.54 15.10 18.83 14.67 14.63 14.50 13.90 13.38 13.38 13.17 13.00 12.75 12.40 12.33 11.50 10.67 10.33 9.83 9.83 9.75 9.67 9.60 9.38 8.83 8.83 8.17 8.00

5 26 7 13 31 17 16 18 11 14 14 24 11 6 4 9 20 6 8 7 9 4 9 9 6 16 14 9 7 1 13

28 68 24 36 62 47 36 55 44 49 33 74 30 20 17 20 54 21 17 29 20 15 15 20 19 34 25 16 17 13 29

27 67 33 29 51 32 21 47 27 23 37 41 33 21 23 35 22 16 21 12 15 12 11 26 16 24 17 17 10 15 14

25 38 19 30 47 36 16 37 26 24 32 33 23 8 16 26 24 15 15 11 18 19 14 16 9 20 15 12 9 10 12

31 45 23 31 42 36 16 37 21 20 37 26 21 30 22 20 24 22 16 12 9 13 19 16 14 18 18 8 17 11 9

FC Nordsjælland

34

5.67

4

8

12

6

8

28


Maxi Pereira sets his sights on goal; his Benfica side averaged more attempts per game (18.5) than any other club in the competition

SHOTS ON GOAL

29

TECHNICAL TOPICS

The power

and the glory

The success stories of the previous four seasons had seesawed between the benchmark-setting possession play of FC Barcelona and the non-possessionorientated football of FC Internazionale Milano and Chelsea FC. The 2012/13 campaign heralded a return to a middle road via a resurgence of German power play, with two Bundesliga teams ultimately competing for the trophy at Wembley Stadium. The season, however, cannot be reduced to a blinkered analysis of the two finalists. The semi-final draw could just as easily have led to an all-Spanish final, while Galatasaray AŞ, Paris Saint-Germain FC, Málaga CF and Juventus contributed to a rich weave of styles in the quarter-finals. Overall, the campaign provided food for thought in areas such as the profile of strikers, the use of the flanks, the importance of the goalkeeper and the qualities required by today’s central defender.

Shaping up for action Once again, the numbers game proved a risky business, in the sense that team structures had great flexibility. On the other hand, many sides operated with high degrees of positional interchanging superimposed on a stable, if not rigid, team formation. The clear trend towards the 4-2-3-1 system gathered momentum during the 2012/13 season with, if we focus on ‘default settings’, 18 of the 32 group stage clubs opting for this structure, including eight of the last 16. Only eight sides were deployed in 4-4-2 formation; four in a clear 4-3-3; one (FC Dynamo Kyiv) in a well-defined 4-1-4-1 variation; and Juventus, just as SSC Napoli had been in the previous campaign, were the solitary standard-bearers for a 3-5-2 template. There were, evidently, many shades of meaning – with some of the variations directly attributable to a change of coach. CFR 1907 Cluj, for instance, switched from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1; Valencia CF from 4-2-3-1 under Mauricio Pellegrino to 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-2 with Ernesto Valverde. AC Milan, during a season of volatility in terms of playing staff, alternated 4-2-3-1 with 4-3-3. Málaga’s playing shape evolved from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1. Real Madrid CF were equally comfortable in 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formations. Manchester City FC operated in 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. And Celtic FC, for example, reacted to the Juventus three-at-the-back structure by going from 4-4-2 to 4-3-2-1.

30


TECHNICAL TOPICS

Zlatan Ibrahimović took the fight to old club Barcelona with the help of strike partner Ezequiel Lavezzi

The continuing trend meant that striking partnerships became a comparative rarity. During the knockout rounds Fatih Terim was able to pair Didier Drogba with Burak Yılmaz at Galatasaray; Carlo Ancelotti deployed Ezequiel Lavezzi to accompany Zlatan Ibrahimović as PSG’s two-pronged spearhead; Roberto Mancini linked Sergio Agüero with either Carlos Tévez or Edin Džeko in the Manchester City front line; and Antonio Conte permuted Mirko Vučinić, Fabio Quagliarella, Sebastian Giovinco and Alessandro Matri to form his attacking partnerships.

The solitary man Away from the clubs mentioned above, teams generally fielded a solitary forward. As Roy Hodgson remarked: “I wonder how this will evolve. There is a danger that this job will become too lonely and too difficult. In many cases, the striker is not just expected to act as a target and to hold the ball up, but also to do a lot of chasing and to work hard as the first line of defence.” Conte cited FC Bayern München’s Mario Mandžukić as an example of the new breed of striker who possesses extraordinary athletic qualities and is, as he put it, “defensively aggressive and committed with a selfless attitude towards defensive duties”. It is significant that Robert Lewandowski, Mandžukić, Ibrahimović,

Jackson Martínez, Hulk, Giorgos Samaras and Burak were all among the leaders in a chart of the players most penalised for fouls in their attempts to pre-empt counterattacks. The observations about the daunting tasks facing forwards seem to be at odds with a UEFA Champions League campaign which yielded a record haul of goals. But the sheer length of the list of scorers – the 368 goals were shared by 194 different players – offers a clear indication that goals need to be distributed around the side. Of the leading marksmen, Borussia Dortmund’s Lewandowski (ten goals including four against Real Madrid in the home leg of the semi-final) and Burak (eight, including six of Galatasaray’s goals in the group stage) were the only target strikers. Cristiano Ronaldo registered his 12 goals from a wide starting berth; Lionel Messi got eight from his withdrawn position in Barça’s striker-less formation; and Thomas Müller scored the same number coming from deeper, wider areas of the Bayern attack. Nobody else scored more than five goals and, globally, the season produced strong indicators that teams can no longer place great reliance on their main forward for their supply of goals. Last term’s technical report asked whether the target striker was a species in danger of extinction. The 2012/13 finalists suggested that his role has simply been redefined. 31

Cross-checking The season’s statistics reveal that goals from cutbacks have more than doubled in the last two years. It could be argued that this tendency stems from a slightly different focus on wing play, stemming from the advanced positions taken up by full-backs when attacks are being built from the back. The modus operandi was summed up by the UEFA observer at a match involving FC Schalke 04: “The centre-backs split wide; the full-backs Marco Höger and Sead Kolasinac moved high; the wide men Jefferson Farfán and Michel Bastos rolled inside; the striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar went long to stretch the play; and a second midfield player or the shadow striker Julian Draxler were able to look for spaces.”

Diego López caught the eye with his kicking ability

Building from the back It didn’t go unnoticed that, in the Wembley final, the two goalkeepers – Manuel Neuer and Roman Weidenfeller – jointly contributed 85 passes. This was further confirmation that the goalkeeper is, these days, expected to be an integral part of the attack-building process in addition to his traditional shot-stopping duties. Looking for direct attack and counterattacking possibilities forms an important part of their function, with sides such as Galatasaray and PSG placing the emphasis on direct forward passing by the keeper. The majority of the passing by Barcelona’s Víctor Valdés in the semi-final against Bayern was of the long variety. The long ball by the keeper obviously affords lower percentages in terms of successful reception by a team-mate, as illustrated by Weidenfeller in the final, where he picked out Lewandowski on seven occasions – but only 11 of his 27 long passes reached a friendly destination, compared with seven out of 15 for Neuer. In terms of the accuracy of long passing, Madrid custodian Diego López was an outstanding performer, with almost 80% getting to a team-mate.

‘These days the goalkeeper is expected to be an integral part of the attack-building process’

32

However, the emphasis, in the context of building from the back, was for the centre-backs to spread wide and for the two full-backs to advance on the touchlines, with either one or two screening midfielders dropping deep to provide extra cover through the central area. This has accentuated the tendency for the playmaker to operate from much deeper positions than those traditionally occupied by what used to be known as the No10. Andrea Pirlo, for both Juventus and Italy, excelled in the role from a berth just in front of the back line, as did Xabi Alonso for Madrid and, on occasions, David Albelda when fielded in the deeper slot by Valencia. It also signifies that the centre-backs often originate attacking moves or, space permitting, drive into midfield with the ball to create a numerical superiority. Today’s centre-half can no longer restrict himself to a ‘stopper’ role; he also needs to feel comfortable on the ball. Bayern’s Dante ably supplied ammunition for his wide men via accurate long diagonal passes with his left foot. Leonardo Bonucci, the pivotal element in the three-man Juventus defence, gave an impressive illustration of a player who had a strong presence as a defender but was also very composed in possession and pushed confidently into midfield with the ball under control. When discussing creative players, Roy Hodgson observed, “It is no longer possible for a playmaker to drift around behind the attack because there simply isn’t space in that area any more.” Today’s playmaker has to combine hard work and physical commitment with creative skills – Arsenal FC’s Jack Wilshere being a valid example of how the role has evolved.

‘Screening midfielders dropped deep to provide extra cover through the central area. This accentuated the tendency for the playmaker to operate from much deeper positions’

As a direct consequence of this accent on adventurous sorties by full-backs, the wingers or wide players frequently embarked on diagonal inward runs towards the area – a tendency also favoured by the ploy of fielding wingers on their ‘wrong’ flank – with Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry being a prime example in the champions’ lineup. As a result, many of the crosses from the wings were delivered by the full-backs (witness Barça’s Daniel Alves or Dortmund’s Marcel Schmelzer), while the runs by the wide men took them into areas towards the sidelines of the penalty box – and enabled the cutback to gain ground as a source of goalscoring opportunities. In the first technical report on the UEFA Champions League, published at the end of the 1998/99 season, Arsène Wenger was quoted: “It is easier to teach a winger to defend than it is to turn a midfield player into a winger.” This has been borne out by the current breed, with former wingers such as Galatasaray’s Albert Riera or Barça’s Jordi Alba officially relabelled full-backs but retaining their attacking vocation.

Daniel Alves is a key source of crosses

Sitting deep and spreading the ball around is the job for a modern playmaker like Andrea Pirlo


TECHNICAL TOPICS

33

A balanced approach “Javi Martínez was just the sort of player we needed.” The compliment from one of his Bayern team-mates highlighted that, with a majority of UEFA Champions League sides deploying two screening midfielders, achieving the right balance of qualities becomes a relevant issue. Martínez’s power, ball-winning attributes and work ethic provided the right foil to the more creative skills of Bastian Schweinsteiger in the champions’ engine-room. At José Mourinho’s Madrid, Alonso – the deep-lying playmaker capable of hitting long passes to change the point of attack – was frequently paired with Sami Khedira, an accomplice who was positionally more adventurous and preferred to initiate short-passing interchanges. At FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Mircea Lucescu formed a partnership between the hard-working Tomáš Hübschman and the creative talents of Fernandinho. By contrast, Málaga’s Manuel Pellegrini opted for two industrious screening midfielders – Jérémy Toulalan and, usually, Manuel Iturra – to complete a six-man defensive block to underpin the attacking flair of players like Joaquín, Isco, Eliseu or Javier Saviola. Many teams adopted a similar distribution of roles, with six players having defensive priorities and four presenting the main attacking options.

Manuel Iturra sat deep in Málaga’s midfield

‘Martínez’s power, ball-winning attributes and work ethic provided the right foil to the more creative skills of Bastian Schweinsteiger’ Spain’s Javi Martínez brought much-needed qualities to Bayern‘s midfield in his first season in Germany

34


TECHNICAL TOPICS

Marco Reus leads another lightning counterattack

End to end During the 2012/13 campaign, 79 goals resulted from counterattacking moves – representing almost 27% of the goals scored in open play. The figures confirm that, even though many sides have now developed counter-measures, the ability to hit opponents on the break is still a valuable weapon to have in the armoury. As Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp noted: “This is an important facet. The ability to make fast forward moves when space is available is an opportunity to be seized. We get more from counters than we do from corners.” Five of Dortmund’s goals could be directly attributed to fast counters, putting them among a group of teams who successfully exploited the art during the season. FC BATE Borisov, for example, obtained four of their nine goals in this manner, including two copybook strikes at LOSC Lille on the opening day of the campaign. CFR Cluj kicked off in similar fashion, with Rafael Bastos rounding off two fast breaks to earn a 2-0 win at SC Braga, the second a solo run after receiving a long pass from goalkeeper Mário Felgueiras. Counters earned Juventus five of their 17 goals, including a three-touch break to clinch a 3-0 home victory over Chelsea, with Giovinco striking from long range past the advancing goalkeeper. One of the features of the season was that teams are increasingly trying to prevent opponents playing out from the back and to regain possession in advanced positions. In numerical terms, PSG take first place, with Ancelotti’s men cashing in seven times – including the counter completed by

Javier Pastore at the Camp Nou, which came close to giving the French side a place in the semi-finals. Madrid, exploiting the pace and intelligent hard running of Ronaldo, scored from six counters during the group stage, but had no further successes against opponents who had done their homework. FC Porto coach Vítor Pereira commented: “When we talk about counterattacks, we tend to talk about speed. But, basically, we’re talking about speed of thinking and decisionmaking – because success depends on a good pass rather than a quick pass.” He is not alone in suggesting that there may be a need to redefine the ‘counterattack’. The classic variety (a rapid back-to-front pass) is still alive, but there is a continuing trend of collective counters based on a group of players flooding forward as soon as the ball is won. Traditionally, the term ‘counterattacking team’ hints at a side that defends deep, draws opponents on to them and then breaks out at pace from their own territory. But the term can now been extended to teams which catch opponents with their guard down by winning the ball in advanced areas and immediately heading for goal. Dynamo Kyiv, for instance, caught GNK Dinamo Zagreb in transition mode with a high interception from the Dinamo goalkeeper and a cross from the left which was turned into his own net by a defender to clinch a 2-0 win for the Ukrainian club. Four of Chelsea’s 16 goals derived from fast breaks, with two of them based on advanced ball-winning: the three-pass combination which allowed them to open the scoring against FC Nordsjælland in Copenhagen; and the immediate through pass that permitted Oscar to put the finishing

35

İlkay Gündoğan on the run for Dortmund

touch to a 6-1 victory against the same opposition at Stamford Bridge, Juventus capitalised on a high regain of possession to seal a 3-0 success over Celtic in Glasgow, with Mirko Vučinić turning a simple square pass into the net while the hosts’ defenders were still trying to change direction. Conte’s team were one of an increasing number who practised Barcelona-style high pressing, with the wing-backs joining in when opponents were trying to break along ‘their’ flank. Porto and Schalke were among those who consistently exerted high pressure, while others alternated periods of intense forechecking with spells in which the emphasis was on getting eight players behind the ball and retreating into a compact defensive block. As Klopp explained: “If you play a high-intensity game, fatigue becomes a factor and you cannot afford to press too much.” Of the 16 sides that participated in the knockout phase, 11 impressed the technical observers with the speed of their attack-to-defence transitions.

‘During the 4-1 win against Madrid, Dortmund’s outfielders produced 11.6% more than their opponents in terms of high-intensity running’ 36

The intensity factor “We might have set a new running record. That’s what it felt like.” Those words were spoken by Dortmund defender Neven Subotić after his club’s defeat in the Wembley final. It wasn’t, in fact, a record – though his team had recorded the highest figure of the season by collectively covering a distance of just over 127km against AFC Ajax in Amsterdam on the penultimate matchday of the group stage. Technicians are understandably sceptical about distance-covered statistics, as they are not always reliable indicators of performance or success and, in some cases, can even be symptoms of shortcomings in team organisation. On the other hand, the fact that two hard-running Bundesliga sides disputed the final provided an invitation to glance at data – especially as both Bayern and Dortmund had muscled their way past Spanish opponents, both of them scoring four times in the home leg to virtually secure their trip to London. During the 4-1 win against Madrid, Dortmund’s outfielders produced 11.6% more than their opponents in terms of high-intensity running. Two members of the support trio behind Lewandowski (Mario Götze and Marco Reus) exceeded 4km of high-speed running, while Sven Bender fell only 13m short of that milestone. Three

Madrid players covered 3km at high speed: Alonso (3,097m) and, interestingly, the team’s two German internationals, Khedira (3,602) and Mesut Özil (3,507). Seven Dortmund outfielders made in excess of 100 sprints, led by Götze (138) and Reus (134). Three Madrid players did likewise: Khedira (111), Özil (109) and Ronaldo (105). In Munich, the high-intensity effort was more evenly shared during Bayern’s 4-0 triumph over Barcelona, for whom Xavi Hernández once again led the way with 3,608m covered at high speed. Only Müller (3,752) and Schweinsteiger (3,667) bettered his mark. However, Ribéry (110), Müller (105) and Robben (103) broke into three figures in terms of sprints. Barça’s top performers in that context were winger Pedro Rodríguez (95) and the two full-backs, Alves (93) and Alba (90). In the return leg, despite Bayern’s four-goal cushion, Mandžukić and Müller were the only players on the pitch to cover more than 4km at high intensity. During the Wembley final – which was an advertisement for attacking power play – ten players (five per team) delivered more than 100 sprints apiece, spearheaded by the Bayern duo of Robben (125) and Müller (123). The 2012/13 UEFA Champions League season therefore raised a question: was it the power that brought the glory?

Arjen Robben produced 125 sprints in the final – and still had the energy to score the late winner


TECHNICAL TOPICS

37

STATISTICS

Crossing

Going the distance Is there any footballing significance in the fact that the 2012/13 finalists Borussia Dortmund covered over 12% more ground per game than, for example, Galatasaray AŞ? Or that Jürgen Klopp’s team achieved the highest distance-covered statistic of the season by totalling just over 127km (127,106 metres, to be precise) in their 4-1 away victory over AFC Ajax?

One of the technical motifs to emerge from the 2012/13 season was the increase in goals derived from cutbacks, whereas the number resulting from crosses registered a slight decline. To a certain extent, the attacking modus operandi of the participants in the UEFA Champions League can be gauged from the table which shows the number of crosses attempted in each game and the percentage of them successfully received by a team-mate. Seven of the top ten in terms of delivering crosses were eliminated during the group stage.

Club SL Benfica RSC Anderlecht SC Braga Galatasaray AŞ LOSC Lille Montpellier Hérault SC Chelsea FC Olympiacos FC Manchester United FC FC Schalke 04 FC Porto Celtic FC FC Bayern München Manchester City FC Valencia CF Juventus AFC Ajax AC Milan FC Dynamo Kyiv FC Shakhtar Donetsk Arsenal FC GNK Dinamo Zagreb Real Madrid CF FC Zenit St Petersburg Borussia Dortmund FC Spartak Moskva Málaga CF Paris Saint-Germain FC FC Barcelona FC Nordsjælland CFR 1907 Cluj FC BATE Borisov

Crosses

Success %

20.83 20.33 19.83 19.80 19.00 18.83 18.67 18.50 18.00 17.88 17.25 16.88 16.77 16.67 16.38 15.60 15.50 15.50 14.17 13.50 13.25 12.83 12.42 12.33 12.08 11.83 11.60 11.30 11.00 10.83 10.00 7.17

38 21 23 34 23 17 22 23 26 20 28 29 39 18 33 38 17 42 17 19 28 11 37 13 34 20 22 35 27 12 8 10

In individual terms, the main suppliers were Real Madrid CF winger Ángel Di María (39 crosses in 794 minutes) along with FC Shakhtar Donetsk right-back Darijo Srna (36 in 720) and FC Schalke 04’s Jefferson Farfán, who provided 35 crosses. Other chief purveyors were Chelsea FC’s Juan Mata (26 in their group games) plus two playmakers: FC Barcelona’s Xavi Hernández (31) and his deeper-lying Juventus counterpart, Andrea Pirlo (30). For the champions, Franck Ribéry delivered only 13 traditional ‘crosses’ and Arjen Robben 15 during the campaign.

38

Madrid’s Ángel Di María delivered a competition-best 39 crosses

Valencia’s Tino Costa swings a cross beyond Idrissa Gueye of LOSC

Jefferson Farfán proved an effective supplier from wide areas for Schalke


The table demonstrates that, during the 2012/13 campaign, most of the contestants were grouped around the overall average of 113,595 metres per match. It also shows that, of the 16 sides who exceeded the average, 11 were eliminated during the group stage. Can the two facts be legitimately related, bearing in mind that the two finalists were among the other five?

Club

Metres

AFC Ajax Borussia Dortmund Juventus FC Nordsjælland FC BATE Borisov SL Benfica FC Spartak Moskva CFR Cluj Valencia CF GNK Dinamo Zagreb FC Bayern München FC Zenit St Petersburg FC Dynamo Kyiv Chelsea FC Manchester City FC FC Shakhtar Donetsk FC Porto FC Schalke 04 LOSC Lille Real Madrid CF Arsenal FC SC Braga RSC Anderlecht Celtic FC FC Barcelona Montpellier Hérault SC Manchester United FC Málaga CF AC Milan Olympiacos FC Paris Saint-Germain FC Galatasaray AŞ

122,616 121,091 119,776 119,355 119,017 118,470 117,438 114,953 114,667 114,628 114,527 114,305 114,129 114,043 113,901 113,067 112,412 112,291 112,277 112,266 112,218 112,186 112,019 110,835 110,113 110,034 109,634 109,376 108,915 108,391 108,258 107,834

STATISTICS

Ajax’s Christian Eriksen covered more ground than any other group stage player

Individual statistics are not easily calibrated, as the top 20 in terms of greatest distance covered features 13 players from the two finalists, on the simple basis that they played the most games – which confers anecdotal status on the totals achieved by Dortmund left-back Marcel Schmelzer (145,229m) and his attacking team-mate Marco Reus (142,855m). At the end of the group stage, the player who had the most metres ‘on the clock’ was Ajax’s Danish international Christian Eriksen.

More reliable comparisons can be made on the basis of metres covered per minute played and in this category the FC Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan catches the eye with an average of 137.64m a minute. Without going through the track records of the 600 or so players who competed in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League, the table shows a random selection of those who might be considered, literally and figuratively, as the frontrunners on the basis of metres per minute played.

Player

Club

Christian Eriksen Lewis Holtby Henrikh Mkhitaryan Mario Götze Ilkay Gündogan Bastian Schweinsteiger Thomas Müller Marco Reus Andrea Pirlo Xabi Alonso Mesut Özil Franck Ribéry Marcel Schmelzer

AFC Ajax FC Schalke 04 FC Shakhtar Donetsk Borussia Dortmund Borussia Dortmund FC Bayern München FC Bayern München Borussia Dortmund Juventus Real Madrid CF Real Madrid CF FC Bayern München Borussia Dortmund

Average 144.79 142.68 137.64 136.06 134.27 133.88 133.02 132.52 131.65 128.69 127.00 124.27 124.13

The figures hint at the degree of athletic preparation which is required to equip players to perform at the highest level in certain playing positions – notably the playmaking screening midfielders or members of support trios in 4-2-3-1 formations. As a debating point, it’s worth throwing in the average of 76.75m per minute covered by FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Who is the more decisive? 39

FAIR PLAY, PENALTIES AND FORWARDS

Talking points

The surveillance factor The fact that the number of penalties scored during the 2011/12 campaign had doubled in relation to the previous season was regarded as evidence to support the theory that the presence of the additional assistant referee was helping to upgrade the detection of foul play in the penalty area. Hugh Dallas, one of UEFA’s three refereeing officers, commented: “It is clear that the players are aware of their presence and are less likely to commit holding, pushing or blocking offences.” However, the 2012/13 season registered a decrease in the number of penalties to 20 – which seems quite a significant drop if expressed as almost 29%. It is only fair to point out that 29 penalties were awarded (compared with 35 in 2011/12), with nine failing to hit the net – all in the group phase, as it happened. The success rate by goalkeepers can legitimately be attributed to the widespread increase of conscientious homework on the modus operandi of penalty-takers. The percentage of saved penalties is also a notable factor, bearing in mind that one of the duties of the additional assistant referee is to advise the referee if the goalkeeper seeks to gain an advantage by advancing off his line.

Luiz Adriano was banned for one match for his controversial goal against Nordsjælland

Fair play? The seconds are ticking towards the 26th minute on the electronic scoreboard at the Parken in Copenhagen on the penultimate matchday of the group stage. Debutants FC Nordsjælland are 1-0 ahead against FC Shakhtar Donetsk. While the home team are in possession, the referee stops play after a collision which leaves the Danish club’s goalscorer Morten Nordstrand on the ground. He then restarts play with a dropped ball which is not contested by a Nordsjælland player. Shakhtar Donetsk No10 Willian punts the ball upfield, ostensibly to return possession to the Danes. But striker Luiz Adriano runs past passive opponents to put the ball in the net. One-all goes on the scoreboard. The incident earned extensive media coverage. Shakhtar publicly regretted the episode in a written statement confirming

40

their commitment to fair play principles; and, ultimately, Luiz Adriano was given a one-match suspension by UEFA’s disciplinary body for “violation of the principles of conduct”. The case highlighted that the so-called fair play gesture is still a grey area capable of generating misunderstanding and even ill feeling. Further illustration was provided during the game between Valencia CF and Paris Saint-Germain FC in the round of 16. After visiting striker Ezequiel Lavezzi had hit the turf in the 32nd minute, a dispute over kicking the ball out and returning possession led to cautions for Valencia full-back João Pereira and visiting midfielder Marco Verratti. When a fair play gesture provokes yellow cards, it’s legitimate to ask whether the world has turned upside down. Going back to Denmark, the significance of the incident was, to a certain extent, concealed by the ultimate 5-2 scoreline in favour of the visitors. However, the talking

point revolves around taking the situation to its absolute extreme: what if, to stretch the imagination to the limit, this had been the only goal or the decisive goal in the UEFA Champions League final? A stretch of the imagination may also be needed to envisage the repercussions among the media and the public. The Laws of the Game endorse, step by step, the legitimacy of the events. Any player, they state, may challenge for a dropped ball; and there is no minimum or maximum number of players who can contest it. In addition, the referee is not empowered to decide who competes for a dropped ball. The remainder of the move which led to the goal (the upfield kick and the solo run) was also legally unquestionable. The debating point is therefore whether legislation could – or should – be put in place to allow the referee to disallow a goal scored in these circumstances and to reconcile fair play and justice with the law.


Gianluigi Buffon under the watchful eye of an additional assistant referee

The success rate from corner kicks during the 2012/13 campaign also offers food for thought. Looking back over the ten seasons played in the competition’s current 125-game format, the number of goals originating from corners peaked at 33 in the 2006/07 campaign and then began to decline. In 2012/13, the figure crept back up to 32 (23 during the group phase and nine in the knockout rounds). In point of fact, the figure could be enlarged, as a number of goals came from the aftermath of a corner (for example, a clearance being played back into a crowded box) but couldn’t reasonably be attributed directly to the dead-ball situation. The debating point is to what extent the drop in the number of penalties and the gradual recovery of success rates from corners can be linked to the presence of (and the deterrent effect exerted by) the additional assistant referee?

TALKING POINTS

Santi Cazorla tries to find an Arsenal team-mate from a corner

41

STATISTICS

Ball possession

Olivier Giroud led the line for Arsenal, one of many clubs employing a lone striker

Forward thinking The magnitude of the task facing the modern striker is among the technical topics which arose during the 2012/13 season. But facts and comments gleaned from events alien to the UEFA Champions League can be blended into a debating cocktail. For example, Ottmar Hitzfeld, winner of the UEFA Champions League with both of the 2012/13 finalists, discussed the role of the striker during an interview with UEFA’s chief technical officer, Ioan Lupescu, at a recent Pro licence student exchange course in Nyon. Mulling over the striker-less formations employed by FC Barcelona or Spain (and even Germany, who fielded Mario Götze in the so-called Messi role during a recent friendly against France), the coach stated a clear preference for deploying “at least one striker and two if you can find goal-getters who are good enough”. He added: “As a coach, you have to adapt to the quality of the players you have available.” Using his comments as a launching-pad for debate, can the UEFA Champions League trend towards the lone forward be interpreted as an indication that coaches are unable to find sufficient numbers of strikers? The second question is where do you look for them? A glance at the 2012/13 quarterfinalists suggests that they’re difficult to find on your doorstep. Robert Lewandowski,

42

Mario Mandžukić, Didier Drogba, Gonzalo Higuaín, Karim Benzema, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Javier Saviola, Roque Santa Cruz, Mirko Vučinić… imported attackers are clearly dominant in a list where local produce boiled down to Burak Yılmaz and whichever Italian was chosen by Antonio Conte to support Vučinić at Juventus. Even delving into the last 16 brings similar search results: Robin van Persie, Olivier Giroud, Jackson Martínez, Javier Hernández, Shakhtar’s Brazilians… Where were the home-grown strikers?

That had emerged as a major issue at the UEFA European U17 Championship in Slovakia, where the goalless final had been played eight days before the showpiece at Wembley. The 15-game final tournament had witnessed a miserly total of 24 goals and the list of scorers revealed that only four players had hit the net more than once: two midfielders; a central defender who moved up for set plays; and a winger who started every game on the bench. Five matches finished goalless and strikers accounted for just five of the goals scored.

As it happened, a similar question was asked at the end of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship which was staged in Israel a few weeks after the Wembley final. The top scorer was Real Madrid CF forward Álvaro Morata, who started two of the five games played by Spain on their run to the title. But, behind him on the scoring chart, a vast majority of the names corresponded to midfielders.

In some countries, the issue is already being addressed. In Denmark, for instance, educational material has been prepared to help youth coaches to focus on the development of attacking qualities; and, in Switzerland, academies are obliged to have a specialised ‘striker coach’ on their staff list. But the U17 tournament highlighted the talking point: if, in five years’ time, UEFA Champions League coaches want to reverse the trend towards the solitary forward or the striker-less variation, are we producing enough strikers to satisfy future demands?

It was a question discussed by UEFA’s technical observers in Israel, who mentioned the recent resurgence of wingers after a spell of being labelled a species in danger of extinction. “Maybe in five years’ time,” one of the team remarked, “everyone will want to play with two strikers again.” If they want to, will they be able to?


For the ninth successive season, FC Barcelona topped the UEFA Champions League chart in terms of ball possession. But the Catalans scored 18 goals, compared with 35 in the previous campaign. The analysis of possession during the 2012/13 season was, once again, a story of paradox. It is a fact that ten of the leading 16 teams averaged more than 50% of ball possession. But the other six included the silver medallists Borussia Dortmund. Jürgen Klopp’s side had only 35% of the ball when they visited AFC Ajax in the group stage – but came away from Amsterdam with a 4-1 win. Their highest possession figure of the campaign was in the home leg of the quarter-final against Málaga CF, which they were within seconds of losing. Manchester United FC had an enormous disparity of possession figures, ranging from 68% away to CFR 1907 Cluj to 45% when they went to Real Madrid CF in the last 16. Much the same applied to José Mourinho’s men, who vacillated between 61% and 42% of the ball. In both cases, the percentage of possession

seemed to have a minimal repercussion on the number of goal attempts created. AC Milan added fuel to the debate: they achieved a 50% share of the ball in only three games – and didn’t win any of them. As was said of FC Internazionale Milano when they took the title in the 2009/10 season, they were “comfortable without the ball”. During the 2012/13 campaign, CFR Cluj took this to an extreme, amassing ten points and winning three matches despite having the ball for just 21 minutes per game. Mourinho’s Inter became champions of Europe in a term where they averaged a mere 45% of possession and, in the final against Louis van Gaal’s FC Bayern München, had only 32% of the ball. Bayern’s second reverse, against Chelsea FC in the 2012 final, also came despite a record 61% of possession during the first half and 59% during extra time. The only balanced period of play in terms of possession was the second half which registered a 52-48 result in Bayern’s favour. The 2013 final at Wembley also

brought together two contrasting styles in that Jupp Heynckes’ side were more likely to build patiently from the back with Barcelonastyle passing interchanges which fuelled the possession figures. The final balance was 57-43 in Bayern’s favour. Jürgen Klopp’s charges were regarded as exponents of a ‘positive possession’ style based on the immediate use of possession to head for goal in fast-forward mode. Manuel Pellegrini’s Málaga, their opponents in a close-run quarter-final, had a similar philosophy in that, although the team were technically accomplished and highly competent in building from the back, the preference for a direct supply to the advanced players meant that attacking moves tended to have a lesser duration and therefore led to lower possession figures. The 2012/13 season maintained the issue as a debating point. Even though the most successful sides tend to be equipped to dominate the ball, how much relevance should be given to possession figures? What is the definition of ‘positive possession’?

Bold: clubs qualified for knockout stage

66%

56%

54%

54%

54%

54%

53%

52%

FC Barcelona

FC Porto

AFC Ajax

FC Bayern München

Galatasaray AŞ


Manchester City FC

RSC Anderlecht

52%

52%

52%

52%

52%

51%

51%

51%

SC Braga

Montpellier Hérault SC

Real Madrid CF

FC Schalke 04

Valencia CF

Arsenal FC

Chelsea FC

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

51%

48%

48%

47%

47%

47%

47%

46%

FC Zenit St Petersburg

Juventus

FC Nordsjælland

FC BATE Borisov

FC Dynamo Kyiv

FC Spartak Moskva


Borussia Dortmund

46%

46%

46%

46%

45%

45%

42%

37%

GNK Dinamo Zagreb

Málaga CF

AC Milan

Olympiacos FC

SL Benfica

LOSC Lille

Celtic FC

CFR 1907 Cluj

STATISTICS

43

STATISTICS

Passing comment there was conflicting evidence. AFC Ajax failed to make the cut despite putting together over 600 passes a game in a highly problematical group, whereas Celtic earned a place in the last 16 with an average of 429 per match.

The technical report on the 2009/10 season mentioned that five of the 32 participating clubs had averaged fewer than 400 passes per match and that 24 of the sides had played fewer than 500. The generalised trend towards a passing game has become a notable feature of recent UEFA Champions League campaigns, however – to the extent that, in 2012/13, only one team fell below the 400-pass barrier: CFR 1907 Cluj with a mean of 367 passes a game. As many as 12 of the 16 sides who disputed the knockout rounds of the 2012/13 season based their game on more than 500 passes per match with, once more, FC Barcelona the standard-bearer with an average of 783 a game and a season-high figure of 999 in the away fixture against Celtic FC – which they lost 2-1.

The accuracy of passing also provokes debate. In this department, Barcelona again led the way, though it was noticeable that the quantity and the accuracy of their passing fell away during the knockout rounds. The figures are debatable as a high percentage of accuracy lays itself open to an interpretation of safety-first passing rather than the higher-risk forward passing or crossing associated with a more direct attacking approach. Some defenders accumulate respectable statistics, for example, but deeper analysis demonstrates that a high percentage of their passing was to fellow defenders or the goalkeeper.

The global view of the campaign reveals that 19 of the 32 participants exceeded 500 passes per match and that, of the 13 who achieved under 500, nine were eliminated in the group stage. Once again,

Accuracy %

In individual terms, Barcelona’s master of the pass, Xavi Hernández, was typically outstanding, with 1,143 of his 1,297 passes reaching a friendly destination, at a success

Number of passes

FC Barcelona

83%

AFC Ajax

607

Chelsea FC

74%

516

Juventus

71%

516

70%

516

73%

588


FC Bayern München

75%

584

RSC Anderlecht

70%

497

575

LOSC Lille

68%

497

559

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

71%

496

Arsenal FC

74% 73%

Real Madrid CF

71%

556

GNK Dinamo Zagreb


73%

554

Málaga CF

Valencia CF

73%

543

FC BATE Borisov

539

FC Dynamo Kyiv

67%

469

69%

467

Borussia Dortmund

44

75%

783

FC Porto

Manchester City FC

Xavi Hernández completed 88% of his 1,297 passes for Barcelona

rate of 88%. His henchman in the Barça and Spanish midfield, Andrés Iniesta, successfully delivered 701 of his 845 passes at a completion ratio of 83%, while screening midfielder Sergio Busquets achieved the competition’s peak figure with a 90% accuracy rating. Tito Vilanova’s side did not, however, win the title and examination of the finalists’ passing stats shows that the full-backs Philipp Lahm and Marcel Schmelzer were the main passers of the ball for FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund respectively, ahead of the teams’ deep-lying playmakers, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ilkay Gündogan. Significantly, Bayern’s attacking support trio registered lower figures which imply higher risk factors. Arjen Robben recorded 68%, Thomas Müller 61% and Franck Ribéry 70%. The figures on the Dortmund side read: Kevin Grosskreutz 64%, Mario Götze 65%, Jakub Blaszczykowski 61%, Marco Reus 56% and Robert Lewandowski 54% – suggesting that Jürgen Klopp’s team were more willing to take risks with possession and search for direct pathways to the goal.

66%

69%

494

64%

481

69%

473

SC Braga

72%

530

FC Spartak Moskva

Galatasaray AŞ

71%

528

AC Milan

FC Schalke 04

72%

528

Celtic FC

60%

429

FC Nordsjælland

74%

526

Olympiacos FC

62%

426


71%

521

SL Benfica


70%

517

CFR Cluj

66%

60% 52%

465

420 367

In this graph the number of passes refers to the average of passes attempted during a game, while the accuracy rate evidently relates to the percentage of passes received by a team-mate.


STATISTICS

45

STATISTICS

Visiting cards

The disciplined approach Club / Fouls per game FC Spartak Moskva

18.17

CFR 1907 Cluj

The 2012/13 season yielded 3,413 fouls at an average of 27.3 per fixture

The technical report on the 2011/12 season highlighted a marked decline in the number of free-kicks awarded since the 2005/06 campaign was punctuated by an average of 35 fouls per game. The question was whether the steady downturn could be related to the introduction of the additional assistant referees and the deterrent effect of the extra pair of eyes adjacent to the penalty area. The 2012/13 season kept this issue alive, with the UEFA Champions League registering a further drop in the number of fouls. The 2010/11 campaign was the first in which none of the 32 participating teams exceeded 20 fouls per game and the first in which the average number of free-kicks per match dipped below 30. By 2011/12, the figure had fallen even further to 28.1 per game and the trend was continued during 2012/13. The season yielded 3,413 fouls at an average of 27.3 per fixture. The leading five sides in terms of fouls committed – and eight of the 12 who exceeded 15 per match – were eliminated during the group stage. It was a noticeable feature that more and more teams are aware of the risks inherent in conceding free-kicks

in their own defensive third – and, once again, none more so than FC Barcelona, who are conscious that the physical stature of their side can offer set-play opportunities to their opponents.

16.83

FC BATE Borisov

16.50

LOSC Lille

16.33


16.33

FC Porto

16.00

Valencia CF

16.00

SL Benfica

15.83

Galatasaray AŞ

15.50

Arsenal FC

15.38

SC Braga

15.33

FC Dynamo Kyiv

15.17

Juventus

14.40

AC Milan

13.75

Celtic FC

13.63

As mentioned elsewhere, statistics provide corroboratory evidence for the trend towards the striker being required to act as a first line of defence, pressing aggressively enough to pre-empt counterattacking opportunities for the opposition and, often, breaking up a potential raid by the rival team with an innocuous foul.

Málaga CF

13.60

RSC Anderlecht

13.50

FC Bayern München

13.31


13.20

Olympiacos FC

13.17

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

13.13

Another debating point is whether the additional assistant referees are helping to pick up more offences by attackers in the penalty area. During the 2012/13 campaign, Robert Lewandowski, Mario Mandžukić, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Vitali Rodionov, Jackson Martínez and Hulk were all among the ‘leaders’ in the fouls-committed chart. With regard to fouls suffered, the list was unsurprisingly led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, Franck Ribéry and Ezequiel Lavezzi – the stats evidently influenced by the number of games played.


12.50

Real Madrid CF

12.50

Manchester City FC

12.33

Borussia Dortmund

12.00

FC Nordsjælland

11.67

Manchester United FC 11.50

AFC Ajax

11.00 10.67

GNK Dinamo Zagreb 10.50 FC Barcelona

Four teams averaged three or more bookings a game and three of them (FC Spartak Moskva, LOSC Lille and FC BATE Borisov) were eliminated during the group stage. The other side was Arsenal FC, who received 26 yellow cards in their eight matches, 11 of them, it has to be said, during the first knockout round tie against FC Bayern München. Half of the ten clubs who averaged two cautions or fewer per game were also eliminated in the group phase. Full credit, by the way, to runners-up Borussia Dortmund; they accumulated only 14 yellows during their 13-match campaign.

9.17

Season 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Totals

This graphic charts the average number of offences committed over the 90 minutes by each of the 32 participants.

46

In individual terms, a quintet of players were cautioned five times and earned two suspensions: AC Milan centre-back Philippe Mexès, the Málaga CF pair of defender Martín Demichelis and midfielder Manuel Iturra, and Real Madrid CF defenders Sergio Ramos and Álvaro Arbeloa. Arbeloa was dismissed twice, collecting two of the season’s 20 red cards. This represents an extension to the downward trend in recent campaigns from 27 sendings-off in 2009/10 to 24 in 2010/11 and 22 in 2011/12. As opposed to the previous season, when three players missed the Munich final through suspension, neither finalist had players banned from the 2013 showdown at Wembley.

Montpellier’s Garry Bocaly is shown one of the campaign’s 20 red cards

The discordant note – and the point for discussion – is the fact that the significant drop in the number of fouls was not reflected by the number of bookings. The statistics for 2012/13 reveal that one in every 6.23 fouls was considered a yellow-card offence (as opposed to one per 7.65 in the previous term).

14.00

FC Schalke 04

Chelsea FC

Interestingly, the stats in the previous section strike a discordant note when looking for harmonies between fouls and yellow cards. The 2011/12 season had set an all-time record in terms of yellow cards: a total of 549 cautions at an average of 4.39 per match. This represented a significant increase of 21% on the 453 yellows shown during the previous season. The 2012/13 campaign maintained the higher level with an almost identical final tally: 548.


STATISTICS

Yellow cards

Yellow/ red cards

Red cards

Matches played

Average of yellow cards

192 198 203 283 302 524 567 508 530 415 434 463 477 445 489 472 453 549 548

4 10 3 11 7 14 13 10 8 20 14 19 9 7 11 14 13 15 10

6 8 3 6 8 16 13 11 11 9 25 9 17 9 8 13 11 7 10

61 61 61 85 85 157 157 157 157 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125

3.15 3.24 3.33 3.33 3.55 3.34 3.61 3.24 3.38 3.32 3.47 3.70 3.82 3.56 3.91 3.78 3.62 4.39 4.38

8,054

212

200

2,231

3.61

Neither Bayern nor Dortmund had players suspended for the Wembley final

(per match)

A yellow card was shown for every 6.23 fouls, as opposed to 7.65 in 2011/12

47

STATISTICS

ALL-STAR SQUAD

Offsides

Technical team selection

The 125-match campaign registered a further marginal decrease in the number of offside decisions: the flag was raised 667 times at an average of 5.34 offside decisions per game. This compares with 678 at an average of 5.42 in the previous season and 696 at 5.57 in 2010/11. The figure has declined since peaking at 724 offsides in the 2008/09 campaign – which represents an invitation for diverse interpretations of the statistics. It could be argued that attackers have become more alert in terms of positioning and the timing of their runs; or, conversely, that the drop in offside decisions is a symptom of deeper defending. Italian clubs, traditionally the frontrunners in this chart, are still among the top ten but this particular trend is evidently being reversed. Once again, Paris Saint-Germain FC’s Zlatan Ibrahimović headed the individual chart, having been flagged 17 times during the season. The Swedish striker had also taken pole position in 2011/12 with 21 offside decisions going against him while at AC Milan – and he was second in the 2009/10 rankings while at FC Barcelona. Burak Yılmaz, who had been flagged ten times in 270 minutes as a Trabzonspor AŞ player in 2011/12, was adjudged offside on 14 occasions for Galatasaray AŞ in 2012/13 – a number equalled by FC Porto’s Colombian forward Jackson Martínez. In pro rata terms, however, the leading role was played by Manchester City FC striker Edin Džecko, who strayed offside 12 times during 385 minutes on the field of play. By contrast, Borussia Dortmund attacker Robert Lewandowski was caught nine times during 1,090 minutes on the pitch – in other words, less than once per game. Seventeen of the 32 contestants trapped their opponents offside more frequently than they were flagged themselves. FC Nordsjælland provided a striking example by falling only ten times into offside territory while luring their opponents into such positions 36 times. At the other extreme, Juventus were flagged 41 times and their opponents a mere 14. Much the same can be said of Manchester City, whose players incurred the wrath of the assistant referee(s) on 34 occasions in their six games, whereas the opponents of Roberto Mancini’s side strayed just eight times. The graph opposite shows the average number of times that teams were caught offside per match.

Manchester City FC Montpellier Hérault SC

4.50

2.67


4.40

1.70

Juventus Manchester United FC

3.38

2.00

Real Madrid CF

2.67

FC Spartak Moskva

2.17

Galatasaray AŞ

3.25 3.17

3.10

2.10

RSC Anderlecht

3.00

AC Milan

3.00

1.38

3.50 2.75 3.13 2.63 2.63 2.50 3.50 2.50 3.50 2.50 3.50 2.50

FC Porto FC Schalke 04 SC Braga FC Dynamo Kyiv GNK Dinamo Zagreb 1.67

2.38 1.92 2.33 1.83 2.25 1.75 2.20

FC Bayern München Chelsea FC Valencia CF Málaga CF FC Barcelona

2.17 2.33 2.17

FC BATE Borisov LOSC Lille

2.08

Borussia Dortmund Olympiacos FC 0.75

1.67

FC Nordsjælland

1.67

3.92 3.67

3.33 6.00

1.50 1.88 1.33

SL Benfica

Offside by opponents (average per match)

2.83

1.75

AFC Ajax

Offside (average per match)

3.00

2.00

1.17

CFR 1907 Cluj 0

1

4.00 2.83

2

3

4

The UEFA technical team lineup at Wembley was (from left to right) Frank Ludolph, Howard Wilkinson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Antonio Conte, Roy Hodgson, Jean-Paul Brigger, Ioan Lupescu

From a technical point of view, the modern game has blurred definitions of playing positions in the middle-to-front areas. The list of ‘midfielders’, for example, embraces players of different complexions ranging from Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martínez to their Bayern team-mates Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry, while Thomas Müller is included in the ‘attackers’ category. Ditto Real Madrid, where the nominees included screening midfielders Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira alongside Angel Di María. Or the Málaga CF pairing of Jérémy Toulalan, a controlling, ball-winning midfielder, and the more attacking talents of Isco.

3.60

2.17

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

4.67

2.88

Arsenal FC


At the close of a UEFA Champions League season, UEFA’s technical observers select a squad of players who, in their opinion, made notable contributions to the campaign. Ultimate victory for FC Bayern München allowed the German club to be represented in every department of the squad – not only on account of the team’s performance at Wembley but also for convincing displays and a high standard of football throughout – something which can also be said of their opponents in London, Borussia Dortmund. The jury of coaches had to face the task of selecting a 23-man squad from a shortlist of 58 candidates. There was a certain amount of debate in the goalkeeping section with the ultimate verdict that Diego López, although he had only joined Real Madrid CF during the winter transfer window, had performed outstandingly enough during the knockout rounds to warrant a place.

4.10

1.40

Celtic FC

48

5.67

1.33

5

‘Bayern were represented in every department of the squad – not only on account of the team’s performance at Wembley but also for a high standard of football throughout’

6


TECHNICAL TEAM SELECTION

49


Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Attackers

Roman Weidenfeller

Daniel Alves

Leonardo Bonucci

Mario Götze

İlkay Gündoğan

Zlatan Ibrahimović

Thomas Müller

Manuel Neuer

Philipp Lahm

Thiago Silva

Andrés Iniesta

Andrea Pirlo

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Diego López

Dante

Sergio Ramos

Arjen Robben

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Lionel Messi

Robin van Persie

50



51

SEASON OVERVIEW

Results

PLAY-OFF LEAGUE PATH (Aggregate scores played over two legs)

PLAY-OFF CHAMPIONS PATH (Aggregate scores played over two legs)

Dynamo Kyiv

4

Fenerbahçe

2

Udinese

2

LOSC

2

Panathinaikos

0

H. Kiryat Shmona

1

CFR Cluj

3

Celtic

4

Anderlecht

3

Maribor

1

Mönchengladbach

3

Spartak Moskva

3

Braga (5-4 penalties)

2

København

1

Málaga

2

BATE

3

Basel

1

Helsingborg

0

AEL

2

Dinamo Zagreb

3

GROUP STAGE

GROUP STAGE

GROUP A Paris Saint-Germain FC FC Porto FC Dynamo Kyiv GNK Dinamo Zagreb Date 18/09 18/09 03/10 03/10 24/10 24/10

P 6 6 6 6

Home Score Away Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Porto PSG 4-1 Dynamo Kyiv Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb Porto 1-0 PSG Porto 3-2 Dynamo Kyiv Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 PSG

GROUP E Juventus FC Shakhtar Donetsk Chelsea FC FC Nordsjælland Date 19/09 19/09 02/10 02/10 23/10 23/10

Home Shakhtar Chelsea Juventus Nordsjælland Nordsjælland Shakhtar

Score 2-0 2-2 1-1 0-4 1-1 2-1

Date 06/11 06/11 21/11 21/11 04/12 04/12

P 6 6 6 6 Away Nordsjælland Juventus Shakhtar Chelsea Juventus Chelsea

Date 07/11 07/11 20/11 20/11 05/12 05/12

W 5 4 1 0

D 0 1 2 1

L F A Pts 1 14 3 15 1 10 4 13 3 6 10 5 5 1 14 1

Home Dynamo Kyiv PSG Porto Dynamo Kyiv Dinamo Zagreb PSG

W 3 3 3 0

D 3 1 1 1

Home Juventus Chelsea Nordsjælland Juventus Shakhtar Chelsea

Score Away 0-0 Porto 4-0 Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 PSG 1-1 Dynamo Kyiv 2-1 Porto

L F A Pts 0 12 4 12 2 12 8 10 2 16 10 10 5 4 22 1 Score 4-0 3-2 2-5 3-0 0-1 6-1

Away Nordsjælland Shakhtar Shakhtar Chelsea Juventus Nordsjælland

ROUND OF 16

GROUP B FC Schalke 04 Arsenal FC Olympiacos FC Montpellier Hérault SC Date 18/09 18/09 03/10 03/10 24/10 24/10

Home Montpellier Olympiacos Schalke Arsenal Arsenal Montpellier

Score 1-2 1-2 2-2 3-1 0-2 1-2

Away Arsenal Schalke Montpellier Olympiacos Schalke Olympiacos

GROUP F FC Bayern München Valencia CF FC BATE Borisov LOSC Lille Date 19/09 19/09 02/10 02/10 23/10 23/10

Home LOSC Bayern Valencia BATE BATE LOSC

Score 1-3 2-1 2-0 3-1 0-3 0-1

Away BATE Valencia LOSC Bayern Valencia Bayern

P 6 6 6 6

W 3 3 3 0

D 3 1 0 2

Date 06/11 06/11 21/11 21/11 04/12 04/12

Home Schalke Olympiacos Arsenal Schalke Montpellier Olympiacos

P 6 6 6 6

W 4 4 2 1

Date 07/11 07/11 20/11 20/11 05/12 05/12

Home Valencia Bayern BATE Valencia LOSC Bayern

D 1 1 0 0

L F A Pts 0 10 6 12 2 10 8 10 3 9 9 9 4 6 12 2 Score 2-2 3-1 2-0 1-0 1-1 2-1

Away Arsenal Montpellier Montpellier Olympiacos Schalke Arsenal

L F A Pts 1 15 7 13 1 12 5 13 4 9 15 6 5 4 13 3 Score 4-2 6-1 0-2 1-1 0-1 4-1

Away BATE LOSC LOSC Bayern Valencia BATE

QUARTER-FINALS

Borussia Dortmund

5-2

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

First leg 2-2

(agg)

Second-leg 3-0

Málaga CF

2-1

FC Porto

First leg 0-1

(agg)

Second leg 2-0

FC Schalke 04

3-4

Galatasaray AŞ

First leg 1-1

(agg)

Second leg 2-3


2-3

Real Madrid CF

First leg 1-1

(agg)

Second leg 1-2

FC Barcelona

4-2

AC Milan

First leg 0-2

(agg)

Second leg 4-0


3-2

Valencia CF

First leg 2-1

(agg)

Second leg 1-1

Borussia Dortmund

3-2

Málaga CF

First leg 0-0

(agg)

Second leg 3-2

Galatasaray AŞ

3-5

Real Madrid CF

First leg 0-3

(agg)

Second leg 3-2

Home Málaga Milan Zenit Anderlecht Zenit Málaga

Score 3-0 0-0 2-3 0-3 1-0 1-0

Away Zenit Anderlecht Milan Málaga Anderlecht Milan

GROUP G FC Barcelona Celtic FC SL Benfica FC Spartak Moskva Date 19/09 19/09 02/10 02/10 23/10 23/10

Home Barcelona Celtic Spartak Benfica Spartak Barcelona

Score 3-2 0-0 2-3 0-2 2-1 2-1

Date 06/11 06/11 21/11 21/11 04/12 04/12

P 6 6 6 6 Away Spartak Benfica Celtic Barcelona Benfica Celtic

Date 07/11 07/11 20/11 20/11 05/12 05/12

W 3 2 2 1

D 3 2 1 2

Home Anderlecht Milan Zenit Anderlecht Málaga Milan

W 4 3 2 1

D 1 1 2 0

Home Benfica Celtic Spartak Benfica Barcelona Celtic

L F 0 12 2 7 3 6 3 4

A Pts 5 12 6 8 9 7 9 5

GROUP D Borussia Dortmund Real Madrid CF AFC Ajax Manchester City FC

Score 1-0 1-1 2-2 1-3 2-2 0-1

Away Zenit Málaga Málaga Milan Anderlecht Zenit

Date 18/09 18/09 03/10 03/10 24/10 24/10

L F A Pts 1 11 5 13 2 9 8 10 2 5 5 8 5 7 14 3 Score 2-0 2-1 0-3 2-1 0-0 2-1

Away Spartak Barcelona Barcelona Celtic Benfica Spartak

Home Dortmund Real Madrid Man. City Ajax Ajax Dortmund

Score 1-0 3-2 1-1 1-4 3-1 2-1

FC Barcelona (away goals)

3-3


First leg 2-2

(agg)

Second leg 1-1

Celtic FC

First leg 3-0

(agg)

Second leg 2-0

Juventus

0-4

FC Bayern München

FC Bayern München (away goals) 3-3

Arsenal FC

First leg 0-2

(agg)

Second leg 0-2

First leg 3-1

Second leg 0-2


Date 19/09 19/09 02/10 02/10 23/10 23/10

Home Man. United Braga CFR Cluj Galatasaray Galatasaray Man. United

Score 1-0 0-2 1-2 0-2 1-1 3-2

Away Galatasaray CFR Cluj Man. United Braga CFR Cluj Braga

P 6 6 6 6

W 4 3 1 0

D 2 2 1 3

Date 06/11 06/11 21/11 21/11 04/12 04/12

Home Man. City Real Madrid Ajax Man. City Dortmund Real Madrid

P 6 6 6 6

W 4 3 3 1

Date 07/11 07/11 20/11 20/11 05/12 05/12

Home CFR Cluj Braga Galatasaray CFR Cluj Man. United Braga

D 0 1 1 0

L F A Pts 0 11 5 14 1 15 9 11 4 8 16 4 3 7 11 3 Score 2-2 2-2 1-4 1-1 1-0 4-1

L 2 2 2 5

Away Ajax Dortmund Dortmund Real Madrid Man. City Ajax

F A Pts 9 6 12 7 6 10 9 7 10 7 13 3 Score 1-3 1-3 1-0 3-1 0-1 1-2

Away Galatasaray Man. United Man. United Braga CFR Cluj Galatasaray

FINAL

Real Madrid CF

3-4

Borussia Dortmund

First leg 1-4

(agg)

Second leg 2-0

FC Barcelona

0-7

FC Bayern München

First leg 0-4

(agg)

Second leg 0-3

RESULTS

Away Ajax Man. City Dortmund Real Madrid Man. City Real Madrid

GROUP H Manchester United FC Galatasaray AŞ CFR 1907 Cluj SC Braga

Borussia Dortmund

5-0

52

Date 18/09 18/09 03/10 03/10 24/10 24/10

P 6 6 6 6

SEMI-FINALS

Juventus

(agg)

GROUP C Málaga CF AC Milan FC Zenit St Petersburg RSC Anderlecht

1-2

FC Bayern München

53

ARSENAL FC

FC BARCELONA

England

Spain

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

28

PLAYERS USED

13

GOALS SCORED

4

1-15 16-30 Minutes

2 31-45

0 45+

3 46-60

1 61-75

1 76-90

1

0

0

SQUAD (GOALS SCORED AND MINUTES PLAYED) No

Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Wojciech Szczęsny 21 Łukasz Fabiański 24 Vito Mannone 60 James Shea Defenders 3 Bacary Sagna 4 Per Mertesacker 5 Thomas Vermaelen 6 Laurent Koscielny 11 André Santos 18 Sébastien Squillaci 25 Carl Jenkinson 28 Kieran Gibbs 38 Martin Angha Midfielders 2 Abou Diaby 7 Tomáš Rosický 8 Mikel Arteta 10 Jack Wilshere 15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 16 Aaron Ramsey 19 Santi Cazorla 22 Francis Coquelin 47 Serge Gnabry 53 Jernade Meade Forwards 9 Lukas Podolski 12 Olivier Giroud 14 Theo Walcott 23 Andrey Arshavin 27 Gervinho 29 Marouane Chamakh

MH (a)

I 90

1

90 90

90 90

1 1 1

90 90 I 14 90 1

OLY (h)

I 90

90 90 90 90

I 90 I 71 10 90 90

4 2 1

90 76 1

80 10 19

2

90

80

SCH (h)

SCH (a)

I 90

90 90 I 90

I

90 I I 90 90 90 7

83 14 I 7 76

(h)

90

OLY (a)

90

BAY (h)

90

90

90 90 90 90 1

83 I

I

MH

1

90+

90 90 90 90 I

I 90 I

90 90 90 90

90 90

I 45 90 90 90

6

11

61-75

76-90

1-15 16-30 Minutes

POSSESSION 51%

No

90

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 112,218 metres Max: 116,145 v Schalke (a) Min: 102,649 v Olympiacos (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 559 Max: 678 v Bayern (h) Min: 456 v Bayern (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 73% Max: 80% v Olympiacos (h) Min: 65% v Schalke (a), Bayern (a)

90 90 90

19 90 90 71 90

90 90 I 18 72 90

Long

77 (14% of total)

Medium

365 (65%)

Short

117 (21%)

TEAM SHAPE V BAYERN (H)

90 90 90

90 85

I

5

45 90 90

72 18 90

90 72 18

• 4-2-3-1, usually with wingers • Preference for short-passing possession play • Looked for through pass to exploit pace of attackers • Low crosses or cutbacks rather than high crosses

54

• Conservative centre-backs feeding deep-lying midfielder Arteta • Fluent positional interchanging in midfield • Wilshere the positive-passing playmaker

• Excellent spirit and work ethic • Good delivery of set plays, notably Wilshere, Walcott • Rapid transition from attack to defence

0 45+

2 46-60

2

2

61-75

76-90

3 90+

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Víctor Valdés 13 José Manuel Pinto 31 Oier Olazábal Defenders 2 Daniel Alves 3 Gerard Piqué 5 Carles Puyol 14 Javier Mascherano 15 Marc Bartra 18 Jordi Alba 19 Martín Montoya 21 Adriano 22 Éric Abidal 29 Carles Planas Midfielders 4 Cesc Fàbregas 6 Xavi Hernández 8 Andrés Iniesta 11 Thiago Alcántara 16 Sergio Busquets 25 Alex Song¹ 28 Sergi Roberto 30 Rafinha

SPM SLB (h)

(a)

90

90

CEL

CEL SPM SLB ACM ACM PSG PSG BAY BAY (a)

(a)

90

90

90

(h)

(h)

90

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

90

90

90

90

90

90

0

1

64 12 I 90

90 I 78 90

I 90 I

90

I I 90 90 90

90 18 I 90 72 90

I I

90 I

I I

90 I 87 3 I I

72 90 90 18 90 I I 90 88so S 78 12 90

19 90 90 I S 71

90 81 90 I 90 9

1 1 8 1

16 26 90 90

25 65 90 90

1

74

2

1 1 1

90 90 I

8 90 90 82

10 80 90 76 14

90 90

I 90 85 5

I 24 90

90 66 I 90

90 90 90 58 90 I 32 12 78

90 90 88 2

90 90 13 77

90 90 I 84 6 90

90 90 I I 28 90

I

62

90

90

I

6 I

62 90 90

90 90

45 90 90

62 90 90

90

90

90

90

I

I

I

90 6 I

28 90 90

75 15 90 84

81 90 45 S

84

7 90 90 83

28 90

90 90 I I 90 90

90 90

90 90

12

16

61-75

76-90

0 90+

GOAL ATTEMPTS 175 (102 on target) = 14.6 (8.5) per game

AVERAGES: POSSESSION 66%

PASSES ATTEMPTED 783

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 110,113 metres

PASSING ACCURACY 83%

Max: 75% v Celtic (a) Min: 56% v Bayern (h)

1

2

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Max: 116,235 v Spartak (a) Min: 104,484 v Spartak (h)

Max: 999 v Celtic (a) Min: 580 v PSG (a)

Max: 89% v Celtic (h) Min: 77% v Benfica (h)

87 3 90

90 55 64 26

PASSES PER GAME Long

71 (9% of total)

Medium

498 (64%)

Short

214 (27%)

TEAM SHAPE V MILAN (H)

90

90 35 90

9

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹ = Central defender on matchdays one and two

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away

KEY FEATURES

Player

Forwards 7 David Villa 9 Alexis Sánchez 10 Lionel Messi 17 Pedro Rodríguez 27 Gerard Deulofeu 37 Cristian Tello

83

31-45

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

SQUAD (GOALS SCORED AND MINUTES PLAYED)

AVERAGES: 90

1

90+

(a)

4

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 32/36 (Including two double substitutions)

2

PASSES PER GAME

7 I I 90 90 70 20 84 6

0


Max: 60% v Olympiacos (h) Min: 43% v Schalke (a)

I

I I 90 90 I I 90 1

BAY

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

2

3

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 20/24 (Including five double substitutions)

1-15 16-30 Minutes

18

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

TIME SCORED 1

25

PLAYERS USED

COACH

KEY FEATURES

Arsène Wenger

• 4-3-3 with single midfield screen (usually Busquets) • Striker-less formation with only occasional use of Villa as target • Possession-based game with elaborate inter-passing • Exceptional control, short combinations in opponents’ box

Born: 22/10/1949, Strasbourg (FRA) Nationality: French Matches in UEFA Champions League: 152 Head coach from: 28/09/1996


TEAM PROFILES

COACH • Xavi the fulcrum, distributing • Iniesta the complete middle-toand dictating tempo front link; outstanding solo skills • Constant high pressing in • Messi: speed off mark, unique response to loss of ball dribbling skills, vision and finishing • Full-backs key attacking elements; • Great collective spirit based on powerful runs and cutbacks established playing philosophy

Tito Vilanova Born: 17/09/1968, Bellcaire d’Empordà (ESP) Nationality: Spanish Matches in UEFA Champions League: 12 Head coach from: 15/06/2012 Vilanova was replaced on the bench by assistant coach Jordi Roura on matchdays seven and eight because of health reasons.

55

FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Germany

Germany

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

21

PLAYERS USED

31

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

2 31-45

0 45+

3 46-60

7 61-75

7 76-90

2

0

1


Player

Goals VAL BTE

Goalkeepers 1 Manuel Neuer 22

(h)

(a)

90

90

LIL (a)

90

LIL (h)

90

VAL BTE ARS ARS JUV JUV BAR BAR BVB (a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a) (final)

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

Tom Starke

1

2

90+

36

90

90

90

90

5

Daniel Van Buyten

90

90

90

90

35

13

Rafinha

90

17

Jérôme Boateng

90

90

90

90

21

Philipp Lahm

90

90

90

90

26

Diego Contento

I

I

I

27

David Alaba

I

I

6

28

Holger Badstuber

90

77

90

90

I

Midfielders 7 Franck Ribéry

2

1

8

Javi Martínez

10

Arjen Robben

4

11

Xherdan Shaqiri

1

25

Thomas Müller

8

30

Luiz Gustavo

90

90

90

90

51so 90

90

90 90 13

S

S

90

90

90

55

90

90

90

90

90

77

90

90 90

90

26

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

18

45

90

45

72

79

69

58

90

90

90

I

90

I

I

32

45

18

24

90

61

90

54

90

90

90

90

83

90

90

I

I

17

90

90

10

19

24

1

90 45

90

84

21

90

9

63

90

80

89

90

90

90

90

S

90

90

74

90

27

90

74

90

90

90

90

1

1

31

Bastian Schweinsteiger

2

90

13

90

67

90

72

90

S

90

90

90

66

90

39

Toni Kroos

3

90

90

81

29

66

64

73

81

16

I

I

I

I

44

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk

Forwards 9 Mario Mandžukić

23

90 3

27

75 15

14

Claudio Pizarro

4

63

33

Mario Gomez

2

I

90 I

9

90

I

24

90

66

I

I

11

90

78

73 17

11 76-90

1-15 16-30 Minutes

POSSESSION 54%

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 114,527 metres Max: 121,115 v Arsenal (a) Min: 111,209 v BATE (h)

No

PASSES ATTEMPTED 584 Max: 726 v BATE (h) Min: 395 v Barcelona (h)

PASSING ACCURACY 75% Max: 82% v BATE (h) Min: 67% v Lille (a)

87 (15% of total)

Medium

369 (63%)

Short

128 (22%)

TEAM SHAPE V DORTMUND (FINAL)

90

83

1

90 7 71

1

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹ Played in midfield on matchdays three and six; Own goal by Gerard Piqué v Barcelona (a)

KEY FEATURES • 4-2-3-1 with outstanding wingers, • Optimal use of wide areas Robben and Ribéry with full-backs (Lahm, Alaba) overlapping • Technique, athletic prowess, mobility, hard work, team ethic • Dangerous long-range shooting; good at finding players in space • Constructive build-up from back, through midfield • Striker Mandžukić a mobile, willing runner to stretch defences • Excellent balance Martínez/ Schweinsteiger as twin midfield screen 56

Player

• Counterattacks a weapon in the armoury, especially when ahead • Wingers ready to work hard to get back and support full-backs • Rapid attack-to-defence transitions with two or three crowding ball-carrier

Goals AJX

MC

RM

RM

AJX

MC SHK SHK MAL MAL RM (h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(h)

RM BAY

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

(h)

Goalkeepers 1 Roman Weidenfeller 20

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

(a) (final)

90

Mitchell Langerak

0 45+

4 46-60

0

2

15

Mats Hummels

21

Oliver Kirch

26

Łukasz Piszczek

27

Felipe Santana

2

29

Marcel Schmelzer

1

1

90

90

90

90

90

I

I

90

74

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

Midfielders 5 Sebastian Kehl

90 90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

I

4

90

90

90

83

90

90

1

88 16

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

2

90

90

I

I

90

45

80

90

67

16

63

I

90

45

10

90

10

23

80

90

90

I

82

20

45

80

70

6

Sven Bender

7

Moritz Leitner

8

İlkay Gündoğan

1

89

82

16

Jakub Błaszczykowski

1

73

90

18

Nuri Şahin

19

Kevin Grosskreutz

32

Leonardo Bittencourt

44

Ivan Perišić

1

1

90

90

90

90

1

10

27

90 13

90

90

90

8

3

73

90

90

90

86

90

90

90

I

72

82

90

90

8 8

1

90

17

5 61-75

2 76-90

2 90+

10

17

61-75

76-90

7 90+






Max: 127,106 v Ajax (a) Min: 114,889 v Málaga (a)

Max: 612 v Shakhtar (h) Min: 449 v Bayern (Final)

Max: 73% v Man City (h) Min: 58% v Ajax (a)


78 (14% of total)

Medium

321 (60%)

Short

140 (26%)

TEAM SHAPE V MÁLAGA (H)

1

I

20

7

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

69

90

90

90

21

18

1

90

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Max: 61% v Málaga (h) Min: 35% v Ajax (a)

Defenders 4 Neven Subotić

Forwards 9 Robert Lewandowski 90

31-45

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes



1

90+

AVERAGES:

8

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 37/39

4

16

7 12

16 61-75


Max: 63% v Valencia (a) Min: 37% v Barcelona (h)

Defenders 4 Dante

2

31-45 Half-time 46-60

1

2

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 37/39 (Including one double substitution)

1-15 16-30 Minutes

24

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

7

3

20

PLAYERS USED

76

90

90

87

90

90

14

2 17 10

90

90

90

90

90

10

Mario Götze

2

88

88

87

90

70

11

Marco Reus

4

90

90

90

74

79

45

90

23

Julian Schieber

1

2

11

77

1

3

90 1

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off Own goal by Álvaro Arbeloa v Madrid (matchday four away)

COACH

KEY FEATURES

COACH

Jupp Heynckes

• 4-2-3-1 with Bender, Gündoğan • Rapid defence-to-attack transitions; • Effective changes of pace and complementary as midfield screens three or four-man counters direction in attacking moves • Attacking vocation based • Compact block; ball-winning in • Dangerous set plays based on powerful, direct running midfield; occasional high pressing on exploiting aerial strength • Lewandowski the cutting edge; • Good use of wings; wingers cutting • Strong work and team ethics, pace, off-ball movement, finishing in; full-backs breaking forward self-belief and resilience • Athletic, incisive support from Götze, Reus, Błaszczykowski

Jürgen Klopp

Born: 09/05/1945, Mönchengladbach (GER) Nationality: German Matches in UEFA Champions League: 37 Head coach from: 01/07/2011


TEAM PROFILES

Born: 16/06/1967, Stuttgart (GER) Nationality: German Matches in UEFA Champions League: 19 Head coach from: 01/07/2008

57

GALATASARAY AŞ

CELTIC FC Scotland

Turkey

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

19

PLAYERS USED

9

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1 31-45

0 45+

0 46-60

1 61-75

3 76-90

0

0

0


Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Fraser Forster 24

SLB (h)

90

SPM (a)

90

BAR (a)

90

BAR (h)

90

SLB (a)

90

SPM (h)

90

JUV (h)

90

JUV

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90

Łukasz Załuska Adam Matthews

90

I

I

90

90

19

31

52

3

Emilio Izaguirre

66

90

90

I

I

90

90

90

4

Efe Ambrose

90

90

90

90

90

90

45

6

Kelvin Wilson

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

23

Mikael Lustig

63

90

90

72

90

71

59

25

Thomas Rogne

27

I

I

Midfielders 8 Scott Brown 16

Joe Ledley

21

Charlie Mulgrew

33

Beram Kayal

67

Victor Wanyama

1

Giorgos Samaras

11

Lassad Nouioui

32

Tony Watt

49

James Forrest

88

Gary Hooper

90

63

90

90

27

1

26

90

73

73

10

90

90

80

5

80

76

90

45

90

90

90

14

11

45

73

10

90

90

90

90

S

90

45

90

70

I

0

No

POSSESSION 42%




Max: 650 v Juventus (a) Min: 303 v Barcelona (h)

Max: 75% v Juventus (a) Min: 44% v Barcelona (h)

76 (18% of total)

Medium

250 (58%)

Short

103 (24%)

Figures exclude matchday five when there was no data from first half v Benfica

90

90

43

79

I

I

I 18

10

90

20

47

I

I

I

90

38

24

90

90

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

I

17

TEAM SHAPE V JUVENTUS (H)

90 17

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away Own goal by Dmitri Kombarov v Spartak (a)

• Variations on 4-4-2; switch to 4-3-2-1 v Juventus • In group phase, emphasis on deep defence; two compact lines of four • Against three-man Juventus defence, switch to aggressive high pressing

58

• Physically strong team; unflagging • Dangerous set plays; corners work-rate; high intensity left-footed by Commons on both wings • Emphasis on direct attacking and counters; Samaras the main link • Competent possession play but comfortable without the ball • Positional interchanges in front line; strikers good at retaining ball • Strong team ethic; commitment to the cause • Good use of wide areas; crosses driven hard from the wings

Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 25 Fernando Muslera 67 Eray İşcan 86 Ufuk Ceylan

MU

SCB

CFR

CFR

MU

SCB

SCH

SCH

RM

RM

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

0 45+

3 46-60

4 61-75

2 76-90

1 90+

3 5 11 13 22 26 27 55

Cris Gökhan Zan Albert Riera Dany Nounkeu Hakan Balta Semih Kaya Emmanuel Eboué Sabri Sarıoğlu

Midfielders 4 Hamit Altıntop 7 Aydın Yılmaz 8 Selçuk İnan 10 Felipe Melo 14 Wesley Sneijder 35 Yekta Kurtuluş 50 Engin Baytar 52 Emre Çolak 53 Nordin Amrabat

2

6

90

1

1 1

90 11 90 79

90 90

90 90

90 90

90 90

90 90

90 90

90 90

90 68 22

1 90 1

90 90

90 90

90 24 83

I 45 90 76

39

90

90 90

90 S

90 I 90 90

45 45 90 90

1 12

1 8 1

78 45

48 90

90 14

27 9 81

69 45

74

14

42

I

63

45

90 90

45 83 90

90 90 S

79 90

90 90

90 80 27

90

90 90 45

90 90 70

12 76-90

2 90+





Max: 115,089 v Manchester United (a) Min: 99,326 v CFR (h)

Max: 628 v CFR (a) Min: 417 v Schalke (a)

Max: 77% v Braga (h) Min: 60% v CFR (h)


78 (15% of total)

Medium

330 (63%)

Short

120 (23%)

78 I 90 90 45

45

Decimal points account for the extra 1%

90 90 90

TEAM SHAPE V SCHALKE (H)

I

I

89

27 63

90 16

11 90 90

66

7 61-75


Max: 63% v CFR (a) Min: 47% v Braga (a)

90 90 90 90

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

(h)

Defenders

Forwards 9 Johan Elmander 12 Didier Drogba 17 Burak Yılmaz 19 Umut Bulut

17

KEY FEATURES

31-45

1

1-15 16-30 Minutes


AVERAGES:

Max: 114,560 v Spartak (h) Min: 107,095 v Barcelona (a)

0

90+

90

1 2

80

I

90 3

90

85

6 76-90


Long

64

10 61-75

PASSES PER GAME

90 I

Forwards 7 Miku 9

90

2

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Max: 56% v Juventus (a) Min: 25% v Barcelona (h)

2

Kris Commons

2

2


(a)

Defenders

15

1

1

1


1-15 16-30 Minutes

14

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

3

1

22

PLAYERS USED

51 90

90 76

90 1

90 21

45

20

7

45

90 90 7

90 86 4

90 90 12

10 90 S 63

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away

COACH

KEY FEATURES

Neil Lennon

• 4-4-2; occasional switches to 3-5-2 when behind • Direct play from keeper/defence to Drogba • Drogba a key presence; holding ball, flick-ons, back to goal • Sneijder the cutting edge of midfield diamond in KO rounds

Born: 25/06/1971, Lurgan (NIR) Nationality: Northern Irish Matches in UEFA Champions League: 8 Head coach from: 09/06/2010 (interim from 25/03/2010)


TEAM PROFILES

COACH • Melo the deeper of two midfield screening players • Selçuk İnan more adventurous; intelligent movement, incisive passing • Width provided by full-backs, especially Eboué on right

• Quick transition to defensive block with seven/eight behind ball • Movements around ball-carrier offered good options for short-passing moves • Excellent team spirit, resilience in adverse situations

Fatih Terim Born: 04/09/1953, Adana (TUR) Nationality: Turkish Matches in UEFA Champions League: 40 Head coach from: 07/01/2012

59

MÁLAGA CF

JUVENTUS Italy

Spain

STATISTICS STATISTICS

STATISTICS

24

PLAYERS USED

17

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

3 31-45

0 45+

1 46-60

3 61-75

4 76-90

1

0

0


Player

Goalkeepers 1 Gianluigi Buffon 30 Marco Storari Defenders 2 Lúcio 3 Giorgio Chiellini 4 Martín Cáceres 11 Paolo De Ceglie 13 Federico Peluso 15 Andrea Barzagli 19 Leonardo Bonucci 26 Stephan Lichtsteiner 39 Luca Marrone Midfielders 6 Paul Pogba 8 Claudio Marchisio 20 Simone Padoin 21 Andrea Pirlo 22 Kwadwo Asamoah 23 Arturo Vidal 24 Emanuele Giaccherini 33 Mauricio Isla Forwards 9 Mirko Vučinić 12 Sebastian Giovinco 17 Nicklas Bendtner 18 Nicolas Anelka 27 Fabio Quagliarella 32 Alessandro Matri

Goals

CHL (a)

90

SHK (h)

90

FCN (a)

90

FCN (h)

90

CHL (h)

90

SHK (a)

90

CEL (a)

90

CEL (h)

90

BAY (a)

90

BAY

0

0

90+

90

76 90

21 69

I 90 22

I 90

90

90 90 68

90 90 90

90 I

90 I

75 90 90 90

90 90 S

90

1

90 90 77

90 90 90

90 I

90 90 I

69 90 90 90

59 90 90 90

2

3

90 90 90 90

5 90 90 90 85

13 2 2

88 75

58 32

90

37 90

90 I 83 7 90

90 90 53

23 90 14

I 61

1 90 90 90 90

90 S 90 90 90 1

9 90 21 90 90

90 83 7

88 90

90 90 69 31 67 21 23

15 90 90 90

25 25 I

86

4 4 2

15 2

25 65

67

29 90

89 2

81

90 90

65 65

11 76-90

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90 79 69 90 90 S 11 21

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 119,776 metres Max: 124,239 v Shakhtar (a) Min: 113,977 v Celtic (a)


PASSES ATTEMPTED 516 Max: 662 v Nordsjælland (h) Min: 427 v Nordsjælland (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 71% Max: 78% v Nordsjælland (h) Min: 65% v Bayern (a)


76 (15% of total)

Medium

333 (65%)

Short

108 (21%)


TEAM SHAPE V BAYERN (A)

60

• Aggressive man-to-man marking when defending set plays • Dangerous set plays in attack; Pirlo the deliverer • Experience, composure on ball, strong team ethic

31-45

1 45+

1 46-60

3 61-75

3 76-90

0 90+

1

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Carlos Kameni 13 Willy

AND

ACM

ACM

ZEN

90

90

90

90

90

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

AND (h)

POR

POR

BVB

BVB

90

90

90

90

(a)

(h)

(h)

90 90 90 90

90 90 90 90

90 90 90 I I 1

90 90 90 I 90

90 45 45 I I 90

36 54 S I 90 90

2

1

2 4 1 3

3 1 1 1

90 I

90 I

90 15

90 90

74 16

45 5 90

90 16 90 I 81

90 5 90 I 90 90

75

S 63 90 90

90 80 90 90

27

10

85 70 I

82 69 I 8 21

90 45 85 62 I 28

74 66 I 9 24

20

90 90

I 76 90 14

I I 90 90

14 76-90

1 90+


AVERAGES:

90 90

90 90 90

90 90 90

90

90 S 90

POSSESSION 46%




Max: 54% v Milan (h) Min: 38% v Porto (a)

Max: 111,649 v Zenit (h) Min: 106,274 v Porto (a)

Max: 602 v Dortmund (h) Min: 344 v Zenit (h)

Max: 72% v Milan (h) Min: 53% v Porto (a)

90

90

90

12 90 12 78

2 90 12 90

90

90

90

90 90

90 3 I

S 74 16


90 I

11 61-75

(a)

90

Defenders 2 Jesús Gámez 3 Weligton 5 Martín Demichelis 15 Nacho Monreal 21 Sergio Sánchez 23 Oguchi Onyewu 25 Antunes Midfielders 6 Ignacio Camacho 8 Jérémy Toulalan 12 Lucas Piazón 16 Manuel Iturra 17 Duda 18 Eliseu* 20 Diego Buonanotte 22 Isco 27 Francisco Portillo

ZEN

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

I 90 27

90

87 22

90 3

63

90 68 76

87

78

88 78 74

83

90

16

14

7

63 (13% of total)

Medium

283 (59%)

Short

134 (28%)

TEAM SHAPE V PORTO (H)

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away *Left-back on matchdays three and six

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away Own goal by Olexandr Kucher v Shakhtar (a)

• 3-5-2 with wing-backs • Extremely hard-working central supporting in 5-3-2 defending midfield trio, notably Vidal • Three centre-backs close together; • Buffon an influential presence in good teamwork, aerial power goal; preferred short distribution • Pirlo the architect, building play • Mobility, technique, short in front of back three combinations in attack, notably Vučinić • Quick defence-to-attack transitions; Pirlo launching long passes

Player

Forwards 7 Joaquín 9 Javier Saviola 10 Júlio Baptista 11 Seba 24 Roque Santa Cruz 26 Juanmi

90 I I I 66 24

KEY FEATURES

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90+

AVERAGES:

3


1

(h)

Max: 53% v Nordsjælland (h) Min: 43% v Shakhtar (h)

S 90

14 61-75


POSSESSION 48%

90

3

31-45 Half-time 46-60

1

4


1-15 16-30 Minutes

16

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

3

2

24

PLAYERS USED

COACH

KEY FEATURES

Antonio Conte

• Variations on 4-4-2 switching to 4-2-3-1 in KO rounds • Outstanding goalkeeper; positionally disciplined back four • Emphasis on building from back; fast, incisive combinations

Born: 31/07/1969, Lecce (ITA) Nationality: Italian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 10 Head coach from: 22/05/2011


TEAM PROFILES

COACH • Two hard-working screening midfielders with ball-winning priorities • Excellent full-back/winger combinations on flanks • Incisive solo runs by Isco, Joaquín able to create chaos

• Varied attacking led by mercurial Saviola or target man Santa Cruz • Experienced, competitive core: Demichelis, Weligton, Toulalan • Well-organised at set plays, including throw-in routines • Very strong team ethic; unflagging commitment to cause

Manuel Pellegrini Born: 16/09/1953, Santiago (CHI) Nationality: Chilean Matches in UEFA Champions League: 40 Head coach from: 05/11/2010

61

MANCHESTER UNITED FC

AC MILAN

England

Italy STATISTICS

STATISTICS

28

PLAYERS USED

11

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

0 31-45

0 45+

2 46-60

2 61-75

2 76-90

1

0

0


Player

Goalkeepers 1 David de Gea 13 Anders Lindegaard 50 Sam Johnstone Defenders 2 Rafael 3 Patrice Evra 4 Phil Jones 5 Rio Ferdinand 6 Jonny Evans¹ 12 Chris Smalling 15 Nemanja Vidić 28 Alexander Büttner 31 Scott Wootton Midfielders 7 Antonio Valencia² 8 Anderson 11 Ryan Giggs 16 Michael Carrick³ 17 Nani 18 Ashley Young 22 Paul Scholes 23 Tom Cleverley 24 Darren Fletcher 25 Nick Powell 26 Shinji Kagawa Forwards 10 Wayne Rooney 14 Javier Hernández 19 Danny Welbeck 20 Robin van Persie 27 Federico Macheda 41 Joshua King

Goals

GAL (h)

90

90 90 I 1

90 I 90

CFR (a)

90

90 90 I 90 79 I I 11

90 1

90 90 I 79 11

I 90 I I I 90 90

84 1 3 1 3

I 9 6 81

90 83 7 90

SCB (h)

90

90 I 90 I I 90

I 11 90 45

SCB (a)

90

17 90 I 33 57 90 I

90 90 90 73

90 90 45

I

90 79

90 90 64 26

90

GAL (a)

90

90 90

I 90

74 90 16

CFR (h)

90

(a)

90

RM (h)

90

1

90+

I 90 90 I 90 90 I 86 I

90 90 74 I

90 85

90 90 90 17

90 90 90 90 90

87 90 90 90

1

I I

3 90 90 56so 9

11 76-90

1-15 16-30 Minutes

POSSESSION 54%

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 109,634 metres* Max: 114,844 v Braga (h) Min: 105,489 v CFR (a)

No

Max: 796 v CFR (a) Min: 386 v Madrid (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 73% Max: 84% v CFR (a) Min: 58% v Madrid (h)

* excluding 39%/109,215 metres v Madrid (h) when playing 34 mins with 10

PASSES PER GAME 77 (14% of total)

Medium

347 (63%)

Short

129 (23%)

TEAM SHAPE V MADRID (H)

64 17

73 90

81 90

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off Own goal by Sergio Ramos v Madrid (h) ¹ Screening midfielder away to Madrid; ² Started as right-back away to Braga; ³ Central defender on matchdays three and five

KEY FEATURES • Variations on 4-4-2 with, generally, one midfield screen • Passing game; quick combinations through midfield • Attacking mind-set; always looking for defence-splitting pass • Adventurous full-backs providing good supply from wings

62

• Defensively disciplined; players quick to get behind the ball • Dangerous set plays: Vidić, especially, an aerial threat • Back four holding a deep line; hardworking midfield

• Looked for quick counters; direct to Van Persie, Rooney, Welbeck • Tactical flexibility (e.g. 4-2-3-1 in Madrid) • Winning mentality; competitive and resilient

31-45

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes


73 I

84

1

90+


0

0 45+

2 46-60

3 61-75

1 76-90

1 90+

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 22/24 (including one double substitution)

0

AVERAGES:

Long 17 6 26 90

8 61-75


Max: 68% v CFR (a) Min: 45% v Madrid (a)*

46 44 4 73 I

16 5

RM

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

1

1


1-15 16-30 Minutes

9

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

3

1

28

PLAYERS USED

Player

Goalkeepers 1 Marco Amelia 32 Christian Abbiati Defenders 2 Mattia De Sciglio 5 Philippe Mexès 13 Francesco Acerbi 15 Djamel Mesbah 17 Cristián Zapata 20 Ignazio Abate 21 Kévin Constant¹ 25 Daniele Bonera 76 Mario Yepes 77 Luca Antonini Midfielders 4 Sulley Muntari 8 Antonio Nocerino 10 Kevin-Prince Boateng 12 Bakaye Traoré 16 Mathieu Flamini 18 Riccardo Montolivo 23 Massimo Ambrosini 28 Urby Emanuelson 34 Nigel de Jong Forwards 7 Robinho 9 Pato 11 Giampaolo Pazzini 19 M’Baye Niang 22 Bojan Krkić 37 Andrea Petagna 92 Stephan El Shaarawy

Goals

1

AND

ZEN

90

90

(h)

90 90

11 74 16 90 1 1

1

2

2

90 60

(a)

I 90 90 90 9 90

MAL (a)

90

AND

ZEN

BAR

BAR

90

90

90

90

90

(h)

84 90

I 69 90

6 90 90 I

26 81

28

90

79 90

64 90

90 90 90 I

I I 90

I I 38

(a)

(h)

(h)

0

4

9

7

61-75

76-90

1 90+


(a)

AVERAGES:

90 90 79

90 I

30

MAL

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

90

90 79 11 I 73 I 90 I

90 90

80 90

90 I 17 90

I 21 90

10 90

23

52

11

90

67

90

90

62

90

90 S 90 65 90 I I I

90 80 90 90 I 25 I 90 90 1 10

POSSESSION 46%




Max: 57% v Zenit (h) Min: 34% v Barcelona (h)

90 90 90 90

90 90 90 90

Max: 117,102 v Zenit (h) Min: 101,418 v Anderlecht (a)

Max: 598 v Zenit (h) Min: 372 v Anderlecht (a)

Max: 74% v Zenit (h) Min: 58% v Barcelona (h)


I

I

90

30

90 2

90

90 90

74 90 60

I

I

75 (16% of total)

Medium

285 (61%)

Short

105 (23%)

TEAM SHAPE V BARCELONA (A)

30 75 15

I 60 16

88

90

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹Midfielder on matchdays one and three; Own goal by Tomáš Hubočan v Zenit (a)

COACH

KEY FEATURES

Sir Alex Ferguson

• 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 with occasional switches to 4-4-2 • Compact defensive structure; positional discipline • Game based on fast transitions in both directions • Subtle attacking combinations (Montolivo, Pazzini…)

Born: 31/12/1941, Glasgow (SCO) Nationality: Scottish Matches in UEFA Champions League: 190 Head coach from: 07/11/1986


TEAM PROFILES

COACH • Direct attacks aimed at exploiting pace of El Shaarawy • Technical quality the basis of attacking play • Boateng providing power and finishing ability in final third

• Great tactical flexibility; extensive rotation of squad • Montolivo the distributor; width supplied by the full-backs • Deployed single, double or triple screening midfielders

Massimiliano Allegri Born: 11/08/1967, Livorno (ITA) Nationality: Italian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 26 Head coach from: 25/06/2010

63

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN FC

FC PORTO

France

Portugal

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

25

PLAYERS USED

20

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

5 31-45

0 45+

2 46-60

4 61-75

2 76-90

2

0

1


Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Nicolas Douchez 16 Alphonse Aréola 30 Salvatore Sirigu Defenders 2 Thiago Silva 3 Mamadou Sakho 6 Zoumana Camara 13 Alex 17 Maxwell 22 Sylvain Armand 23 Gregory van der Wiel 26 Christophe Jallet Midfielders 4 Mohamed Sissoko 7 Jérémy Ménez 10 Nenê 12 Mathieu Bodmer 14 Blaise Matuidi 20 Clément Chantôme 24 Marco Verratti 25 Adrien Rabiot 27 Javier Pastore 28 Thiago Motta 29 Lucas 32 David Beckham Forwards 9 Guillaume Hoarau 11 Ezequiel Lavezzi 18 Zlatan Ibrahimović 19 Kevin Gameiro

DK (h)

POR (a)

DZ (a)

DZ (h)

DK (a)

POR (h)

VAL (a)

VAL (h)

BAR (h)

BAR

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

2

3

31-45 Half-time 46-60

7

17

61-75

76-90

2 2

2 2

3

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

81 I 9 90 90

90 90

90 I 45 45 90

90

90

90

I 90

90 7

90

90

90 90

90 90

90 90

I 90

62 28

90 90 2

90

2 88

90

90

77 13 I 90 90 90

73 90 90 90 90

30 77 I 60 90 I 90

90

10

90

90 90 90 45 76 I I 90 I 45 90 22

90 90 12 90 I

90 90 90 4

90

68 I 87 I 90 22 78

86 2 I 90 90 13

14 90 37 90

90 90 S

3

88

88

90 58 83

53

1 5 3

17 73

7 90

13 I 90

14 68 90

63 27

90 90

77 90

76 90so

24

90 S 32

90

S

20

83

76 I 90 70

90 90 90 7

66 90 14



Max: 113,548 v Dinamo Zagreb (a) Min: 102,677 v Barcelona (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 521 Max: 727 v Dinamo Zagreb (a) Min: 364 v Barcelona (h)

PASSING ACCURACY 71% Max: 78% v Dinamo Zagreb (home and away) Min: 61% v Valencia (h)


71 (14% of total)

Medium

312 (60%)

Short

138 (26%)

TEAM SHAPE V BARCELONA (H)

Goals

24

0 45+

1 46-60

1 61-75

3 76-90

1 90+

DZ

PSG

DK

DK

DZ

PSG

MAL

MAL

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

I

I

I

90

90

90

90

66

4

I

24

86

4

Maicon

90

13

Miguel Lopes

90

22

Eliaquim Mangala

2

1

90

23

Abdoulaye Ba

26

Alex Sandro

90

90

I

Nicolás Otamendi

Midfielders 3 Lucho González

(h)

(a)

90

90

90 32

1

90





90

2

90

81

90

90 90

90

90

Max: 80% v Dinamo Zagreb (h) Min: 64% v Málaga (a)

* Excluding 107,386 v Málaga (a) when playing 41 mins with 10.

90

Medium

370 (63%)

Short

142 (24%)

90

75

90

90

11

Max: 114,472 v Dynamo Kyiv (a) Min: 110,136 v PSG (h)*

Max: 749 v Dinamo Zagreb (h) Min: 517 v Dynamo Kyiv (a)

Long

76 (13% of total)

90

90

90

75

90

90

90

90

45

10

James Rodríguez

1

88

90

90

90

90

90

32

45

15

Marat Izmailov

25

Fernando

I

90

90

I

24

70

35

Steven Defour

90

9

15

79

66

20

78

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

Christian Atsu

90+

PASSES PER GAME

2

Silvestre Varela

4

70

João Moutinho

27

7 76-90

90

André Castro

17

10 61-75

90

8

Kléber

2

90

6

11

1

Max: 62% v Málaga (h) Min: 48% v PSG (h)

Defenders 2 Danilo

30

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60


Fabiano

Forwards 9 Jackson Martínez

1

TEAM SHAPE V MÁLAGA (A)

70 1 3

12 2

90

90 49so

1

72

73

64

76

90

85

58

58

18

17

26

14

15

5

20

20

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off

= replaced after coming on as a substitute; S = Suspended; I = Injured/ill;

• Ibrahimović the attacking beacon; • Strong athletic qualities; creativity, goals, assists fluency of movement • Lavezzi a mobile threat as • Width provided by full-backs shadow striker (Jallet, Maxwell) • Thiago Silva pillar of defence, • Chances created by individual organiser, attack-launcher pace and skill (Lavezzi, Lucas)

Player

Goalkeepers 1 Helton

81 90 9

KEY FEATURES • 4-4-2 with two screening midfielders • Swift transition into compact, eight-man defensive block • Excellent defending (positional play, 1v1 abilities, aerial power) • Fast collective counters with support from midfielders

POSSESSION 47%

31-45

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90+


Max: 62% v Dinamo Zagreb (h) Min: 37% v Barcelona (home and away)

0

0

(a)

90

3

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 24/24 (including one double substitution)

AVERAGES:

Bold = Started on the bench; = Taken off; = Brought on; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off

64

0

1

1


1-15 16-30 Minutes

11

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

3

2

19

PLAYERS USED

COACH

KEY FEATURES

Carlo Ancelotti

• 4-3-3 with two wingers and lone striker • Controlled possession game; attacks built on midfield combinations • Good balance in midfield with Defour in anchor role

Born: 10/06/1959, Reggiolo (ITA) Nationality: Italian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 117 Head coach from: 30/12/2011


TEAM PROFILES

COACH • Moutinho, Lucho the links with attack, bursting into shooting positions • Energetic high pressing when ball lost in attacking third • Emphasis on creating 1v1 situations on wings

• High levels of technique; able to withstand pressure • Quick transitions into wellstructured 4-5-1 defensive block • Fluent movement, agility, solo skills in attack (e.g. Martínez, Varela) • Goalkeeper quick to cover space behind high back line

Vítor Pereira Born: 26/07/1968, Espinho (POR) Nationality: Portuguese Matches in UEFA Champions League: 14 Head coach from: 21/06/2011

65

REAL MADRID CF

FC SCHALKE 04

Spain

Germany

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

25

PLAYERS USED

26

GOALS SCORED

23

PLAYERS USED (Stevens 21; Keller 17)

13

GOALS SCORED (Stevens 10; Keller 3)

TIME SCORED 4

3

1-15 16-30 Minutes

4

0

31-45

3

2

45+

46-60

9

61-75

76-90

TIME SCORED

1

0

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 35/36 (Including four double substitutions) 0

2

1

1-15 16-30 31-45 Minutes


Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Iker Casillas 13 Antonio Adán 41 Diego López Defenders 2 Raphaël Varane 3 Pepe 4 Sergio Ramos 5 Fábio Coentrão 11 Ricardo Carvalho 12 Marcelo 17 Álvaro Arbeloa 18 Raúl Albiol 24 Nacho Midfielders 6 Sami Khedira 8 Kaká 10 Mesut Özil 14 Xabi Alonso 15 Michael Essien¹ 19 Luka Modrić 21 José Callejón 34 Jesé Rodríguez Forwards 7 Cristiano Ronaldo 9 Karim Benzema 20 Gonzalo Higuaín 22 Ángel Di María 29 Álvaro Morata

AJX BVB BVB (a)

(a)

(h)

MC

90

90

90

90

90

(h)

(a)

AJX (h)

MU (h)

I

MU GAL (a)

(h)

I

I

GAL (a)

90

1

90 90

90 90

73 1 1

1 2

12 5 1

25 90 65 17

90 90

90 90

12 75 15 90 78

90 90 90 I I I

20 90 90 90 70

61

90 17 73 90

90 90 29

2

4

16

9

45+ Half-time 46-60 61-75 76-90

(a)

(h)

90 73 17 90

90 90 90 I I 77

I 13 90 90 45 45 45

90 45 90

15 90 90 90

90 67

23 90 I I 73so S 3 90 90

90 I 68 22

90 75 I 87

90 72

I 90 90 18 90 80 I

90 6 90 90

90

90

90 90 19 90 90

90 84 15

31

90 90 44

90

90 4 90 90

90 90 S 90

59 so 9

59

90 46 71 90

90 60 30 75

90

90 80 90 90 10

90 65 25 86

90 I 81 S 31 90

90 17 73 90

90 90 90 90 90

90 90 90 57

Max: 60% v Dortmund (group stage h)* Min: 42% v Ajax (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 112,266 metres Max: 118,145 v Dortmund (semi-final h) Min: 105,872 v Man City (a)


Max: 737 v Dortmund (semi-final h) Min: 379 v Ajax (h)


Max: 78% v Ajax (a) Min: 62% v Man City (a) * excluding 61% v Man Utd (a) when United played 34 minutes with 10

90 10 90 80 68

90 22 68 22

Long

23 33 90 67 90 90

83 (15% of total)

Medium

331 (60%)

Short

143 (26%)


TEAM SHAPE V DORTMUND (SEMI-FINAL AWAY)

10

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹Left-back v Dortmund on matchday three; right-back v Galatasaray (h) and Dortmund (semi-final second leg)

• 4-2-3-1 the default setting; occasional use of 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1 • Comfortable on ball; calm under pressure at back; good combination play • Excellent attacking variations (short passing, diagonals, over the top, crosses…)

66

• Always dangerous in final third; • Pace, mobility; strength players running at opponents on bench giving options with ball to change pattern of game • Quick defence-to-attack transitions, • Ronaldo a permanent threat; using pace of Ronaldo especially sprints, solo skills, power-finishing, swerving free-kicks • Effective use of width with fullbacks ready to support attacks • Disciplined, committed defending • Balanced two-man midfield screen; led by Ramos; seven or eight quickly behind ball Alonso the focal point/distributor

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Ralf Fährmann 34 Timo Hildebrand 36 Lars Unnerstall Defenders 4 Benedikt Höwedes 14 Kyriakos Papadopoulos 21 Christoph Metzelder 22 Atsuto Uchida 23 Christian Fuchs 32 Joel Matip 35 Sead Kolasinac Midfielders 9 Michel Bastos 10 Lewis Holtby 11 Ibrahim Afellay 12 Marco Höger¹ 13 Jermaine Jones 27 Tranquillo Barnetta 29 Max Meyer 31 Julian Draxler 33 Roman Neustädter Forwards 8 Ciprian Marica 17 Jefferson Farfán 19 Chinedu Obasi 20 Teemu Pukki 25 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

90 33 57 90

KEY FEATURES

Player

2

1

OLY (a)

MH

KEY FEATURES

José Mourinho

• Basically 4-2-3-1 with 4-1-4-1 variations • Building with controlled, narrow combinations • Attacking width mostly supplied by full-backs • Wide midfielders moving inside to create space

Born: 26/01/1963, Setúbal (POR) Nationality: Portuguese Matches in UEFA Champions League: 107 Head coach from: 31/05/2010


TEAM PROFILES

(a)

ARS (h)

OLY (h)

90

90

90

90

90

90 90 I I 90 90

90 90 I 90 90

90 I I 90 90 90

90 24 I 25 90 90

90 90 I 90 90

MH

GAL

GAL

90

90

90

(a)

90 11 1 90 79

84 35 90 I 6

1 1

1 90

55 90

1

90

24

90

66 90

1

4

(a)

46-60

65 90 45 45 25

90

2

2 61-75

3 76-90

0 90+

90 90

PASSES PER GAME

90

90 45 90 90

90

90

89 90

90 90

84 90

2 90

1 90

77

90

I 90

90

19 90

6 84 13

90+


I

I 90 90 6

4


90 90

90 I I 18 72

9 76-90

POSSESSION 52%


71 I I 90 1

6 61-75

AVERAGES:

90 I

90

1


90 I

90 90 41 90 1

88

(h)

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Max: 57% v Arsenal (h) Min: 46% v Arsenal (a)

90

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; ¹ Defender v Galatasaray (a)

COACH

ARS

(h)

1 1

1

1-15 16-30 Minutes


PASSES PER GAME S

0

No

POSSESSION 52%

45+

3

(Stevens 18/18; Keller 5/6)

90+

AVERAGES:

31-45

1


0

BVB BVB

90

1 1

1


MC

2

2

Max: 117,184 v Montpellier (h) Min: 99,939 v Olympiacos (h)

Max: 623 v Montpellier (h) Min: 443 v Montpellier (a)

Max: 81% v Montpellier (h) Min: 58% v Montpellier (a)

Long

77 (15% of total)

Medium

325 (62%)

Short

127 (24%)


15 75

I 85 S

TEAM SHAPE V GALATASARAY (A)

5 90 45 I 90 5 85 I

= replaced after coming on as a substitute; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away

COACHES • Counterattacks in numbers and at speed • Neustädter, Draxler (second striker) the middle-to-front dynamos • Huntelaar the target, going long to stretch play

• Preferred high, energetic pressing • Compact, narrow back four • Dangerous set plays including long throws

Huub Stevens

Jens Keller

Born: 29/11/1953, Sittard (NED)

Born: 24/11/1970, Stuttgart (GER)

Nationality: Dutch

Nationality: German

Matches in UEFA Champions League: 18


Head coach from: 27/09/2011 to 16/12/2012

Head coach from: 16/12/2012

67

FC SHAKHTAR DONETSK

VALENCIA CF

Ukraine

Spain STATISTICS

STATISTICS

18

PLAYERS USED

14

GOALS SCORED

(Valverde 20) (Pellegrino 21)

TIME SCORED 2

2

1-15 16-30 Minutes

3 31-45

0 45+

4 46-60

1 61-75

2 76-90

0

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes


Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 30 Andriy Pyatov 32

FCN

JUV

CHL

CHL

FCN

JUV

BVB

BVB

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

Anton Kanibolotskiy

26

Răzvan Raţ

27

Dmytro Chygrynskiy

33

Darijo Srna

44

Yaroslav Rakitskiy

90

1

Midfielders 3 Tomáš Hübschman

90

90

90

90

90

I

I

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90 90

90

90

90 90

90

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

I

I

90

90

7

Fernandinho

1

90

90

90

90

90

90

10

Willian

4

81

90

88

90

86

90

20

Douglas Costa

1

9

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

2

90

90

90

90

90

29

Alex Teixeira

2

20

84

82

78

77

Ilsinho

70

6

8

75

90

90

11

Eduardo

18

Marko Dević

28

Taison

90

I

Taras Stepanenko

3

S

90

6

Forwards 9 Luiz Adriano

0

2

90

90

82 8

90

90

28

45

90

90

90

78

65

84

90

12

4

25

I

90

82

S

90

8

45

6

2

12

15

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

4

10

61-75

76-90

POSSESSION 51%

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 113,067 metres Max: 118,885 v Juventus (h) Min: 105,287 v Juventus (a)

No

Max: 610 v Juventus (a) Min: 426 v Nordsjælland (h)

PASSING ACCURACY 71% Max: 76% v Nordsjælland (a) Min: 61% v Dortmund (h)


82 (17% of total)

Medium

313 (63%)

Short

101 (20%)

TEAM SHAPE V DORTMUND (H)

45

• 4-2-3-1 with Fernandinho the more adventurous screening midfielder • Effective blend of European qualities and Brazilian creativity • Advanced full-backs looking for attacking combination moves

68

• Good diagonal passing from centre-backs to wide players • Quick transition to defensive block; pressing in own half • Occasional high pressing when behind on scoreboard • Rapid counterattacks based on quick forward passing

• Fluent positional interchanging among front four • Three attack-minded midfielders supporting target striker • Athletic, energetic game with Mkhitaryan the driving force

46-60

61-75

3 76-90

1 90+

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Diego Alves 13 Vicente Guaita Defenders 3 Aly Cissokho 4 Adil Rami 12 João Pereira 14 Antonio Barragán 18 Víctor Ruiz 20 Ricardo Costa 22 Jérémy Mathieu 30 Carlos Delgado Midfielders 5 Fernando Gago 6 David Albelda 8 Sofiane Feghouli 10 Éver Banega 15 Jonathan Viera 17 Andrés Guardado* 21 Daniel Parejo 23 Sergio Canales 24 Tino Costa

BAY (a)

LIL (h)

90

BTE

1

90 I

I 3

90

90 I 87

3

0

8

13

61-75

76-90

BAY

LIL

PSG

PSG (a)


90

90

90

90

90

AVERAGES:

90 90 90 8

90 90 90

90 90 I 33so

I 90 90 S

90

90 I

90 I

90 90 I S 83 90 I

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

90

90 S 3 90 90 I I 90

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

BTE

(a)

90 90 90so 90 2

0

90 I

90 I

90 90 90

90 2 90 23

I 10 90 80

16 74 61

19 71 90

90 9

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

5 4

63 88

13 77

67 79

15 90

1

27

81 84 I 6

11

4

90 S 29 90

88

86 75

84 45 6 90 90 45 90

7 90

45 90 45

45 63 45

90+

POSSESSION 52%




Max: 61% v LOSC (h) and PSG (h) Min: 37% v Bayern (h)

Max: 120,338 v BATE (a) Min: 109,985 v PSG (a)

Max: 701 v PSG (h) Min: 378 v Bayern (h)

Max: 78% v PSG (h) Min: 62% v Bayern (h)


90 72 82 18

0

81 (15% of total)

Medium

338 (62%)

Short

124 (23%)

TEAM SHAPE V PSG (H)

90 90 76 90 27 14

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off *Left-back v PSG (h)


KEY FEATURES

Player

Forwards 7 Jonas 9 Roberto Soldado 11 Pablo Piatti 16 Nelson Valdez

90

45 62

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes



45+

2

3

(Valverde 6/6)

90+

AVERAGES:

31-45

1


0


Max: 57% v Juventus (a) Min: 44% v Nordsjælland (h)

Defenders 5 Olexandr Kucher

2

2

1-15 16-30 Minutes

0

14

GOALS SCORED (Valverde 2)

TIME SCORED

0

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 16/24 0

23

PLAYERS USED

COACH

KEY FEATURES

Mircea Lucescu

• Basically 4-2-3-1, • Good use of flanks 4-1-4-1, 4-4-2 variations by full-backs under Valverde (João Pereira, Cissokho) • Emphasis on patient • Technical quality possession play from back throughout; able to play out of pressure • Occasional high pressure; ball-winning usually in • Soldado the attacking own half catalyst; off-the-ball • Diverse screening midfielders movement and goals (Albelda/Banega/Gago)

Born: 29/07/1945, Bucharest (ROU) Nationality: Romanian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 83 Head coach from: 16/05/2004


TEAM PROFILES

COACHES • Slick combinations in final third; Jonas playing off main striker • Strong central defenders, moving wide to cover full-backs • Dangerous set plays; aerial power of Rami, Ricardo Costa

Mauricio Pellegrino

Ernesto Valverde

Born: 05/10/1971, Cordoba (ARG)

Born: 09/02/1964, Viandar de la Vera (ESP)

Nationality: Argentinian

Nationality: Spanish




Head coach since: 03/12/2012

Team delegate Salvador González ‘Voro’ was on the bench for matchday six

69

TEAM PROFILES

The other sixteen starters The salient feature of the 2012/13 group stage was that, for the first time in the 21-season history of the competition, the defending champion was among the 16 clubs whose campaign ended before the turn of the year. With 16 goals, Chelsea FC were the top scorers in the group stage but, along with Romanian challengers CFR 1907 Cluj, belied the traditional theory that ten points are sufficient to gain access to the knockout rounds. The fact that Cluj amassed the same total (led by two different coaches during the six-match campaign) raises a debating point. The Romanian team had no great pretensions in terms of ball possession, posting the lowest average among the 32 starters of 37%. This was in line with data related to passing where, again, Cluj recorded the lowest average of 367 per game. The efficiency of their direct attacking and counterattacking earned them three victories, two of which were away from home. However, the trend towards a possessionand-passing philosophy could be backed by statistical evidence. Of the 14 sides who averaged less than 50% of ball possession, nine were eliminated in the group stage. Nine of the 13 clubs that averaged fewer than 500 passes a match were also among the December casualties. The most glaring exception to the rule was provided by AFC Ajax who, drawn into a daunting group alongside the champions of England, Germany and Spain, nevertheless enjoyed

54% of the ball against their illustrious rivals and averaged over 600 passes per game. Another ingredient to blend into an interesting statistical recipe is that Frank de Boer’s side also registered the competition’s highest average figure of 122,616 metres per match in terms of the distance covered by teams. In this respect, Danish debutants FC Nordsjælland gave a good account of themselves, turning in an average of 119,355 metres (second only to Ajax among the 16 group fallers). Their athletic efforts, however, led to only 5.8 goal attempts a game – fewer than any other club in the competition. The search for the ‘end product’ (goals) and the efficiency of finishing unquestionably contribute to success – as illustrated by SL Benfica. During the group stage, the Lisbon side averaged 18.3 goal attempts per game, more than any other team in the UEFA Champions League, yet successfully converted only five of their 110 chances. However, the Eagles went on to score 14 times from 82 attempts in eight UEFA Europa League matches to earn a final against a Chelsea team which had also been among the top five in the UEFA Champions League group stage in terms of attempts at goal. Reaching the Amsterdam final represented a creditable performance by two clubs who are among the few to successfully rebound from the psychological and motivational trauma of premature elimination from the UEFA Champions League.

Anderlecht full-back Behrang Safari tussles with Vladimir Bystrov of Zenit

70


TEAM PROFILES

71

AFC AJAX

RSC ANDERLECHT

Netherlands

Belgium

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

18

PLAYERS USED

8

GOALS SCORED

1

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1 31-45

0 45+

3 46-60

1 61-75

1 76-90

0

0

0


Player

Goals

BVB

RM

MC

MC

BVB

RM

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 1

Kenneth Vermeer

22

Jasper Cillessen

90

90

90

90

90

90

90+

Niklas Moisander

17

0

5

8

61-75

76-90

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90 2

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

Daley Blind

90

90

90

90

90

90

24

Ricardo van Rhijn

90

90

90

90

90

90

40

Fabian Sporkslede Christian Poulsen

6

Eyong Enoh

7

Miralem Sulejmani

8

Christian Eriksen

10

Siem de Jong

20

Lasse Schøne

69

90

87

45

40

I

I

16

12

64

13

1

I

I

I

I

I

1

90

90

90

90

90

90

3

90

90

90

90

90

90

89

78

45

50

11

Forwards 19

Tobias Sana

21

Derk Boerrigter

1 1

23

Danny Hoesen

27

Jody Lukoki

39

Viktor Fischer

49

Ryan Babel

89

66

74

1

90

90

1

90

9

I

I

90

3

17

77

81

90

90

I

I

24

79


72

13 73

90

26

77

0

90+

45+

1 46-60

0 61-75

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

0

1

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

7 76-90

AVERAGES: PASSES ATTEMPTED 607



Max: 66% v Dortmund (h) Min: 47% v Manchester City (a)

Max: 125,059 v Dortmund (a) Min: 118,576 v Madrid (a)

Max: 837 v Dortmund (h) Min: 509 v Madrid (h)

Max: 80% v Dortmund (h) Min: 66% v Manchester City (a)

92 (15% of total)


Player

Goals

ACM

MAL

ZEN

ZEN

ACM

MAL

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 1

Silvio Proto

13

Thomas Kaminski

90

90

90

90

90

90

0 90+

POSSESSION 52%


TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 112,019 metres*


Max: 61% v Milan (h) Min: 48% v Milan (a)

Max: 118,150 v Zenit (a) Min: 109,121 v Milan (a)*

Max: 556 v Zenit (h) Min: 398 v Milan (a)

Max: 72% v Málaga (h) and v Milan (h) Min: 69% in Milan and both games v Zenit

PASSES PER GAME

397 (65%)

Defenders

Short

118 (19%)

3

Olivier Deschacht

90

90

90

I

90

90

14

Bram Nuytinck

90

90

90

90

70so

S

16

Cheikhou Kouyaté

79

90

90

90

90

90

20

Behrang Safari

23

Roland Juhász

11

27

Marcin Wasilewski

90

90

83

S

90

90

90

90

90

90

45

90

90

90

74

79

75

71

90

90

90

90

TEAM SHAPE V DORTMUND (H)

0 90+

*excluding matchday five v Milan (h) when playing 20 mins with 10

Medium Decimal points account for missing 1%

76-90

5


2

61-75

GOAL ATTEMPTS 59 (27 on target) = 12 (9.8) per game

21 90

31-45

0


1

Midfielders 5

0


Long

Toby Alderweireld

4

1

PASSES PER GAME

Defenders 3

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

1

0


1-15 16-30 Minutes

4

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

TIME SCORED 1

20

PLAYERS USED

90

90

Long

72 (14% of total)

Medium

308 (62%)

Short

117 (24%)

TEAM SHAPE V MÁLAGA (A)

Midfielders

Patterns of team link up: Most frequently played passes: (Average position of players during the match)

5

Lucas Biglia

7

Guillermo Molins

19

Sacha Kljestan

90

26

Dennis Praet

11

30

Guillaume Gillet

90

55

Fernando Canesin

70

Ronald Vargas

7

90

13 I

I

5

85

Forwards 89

90

90

11

S

59

90

90

77

1

31

16

18

24

I

15

19

COACH

10

Kanu

11

Milan Jovanović

Frank de Boer

17

Olexandr Yakovenko

Born: 15/05/1970, Hoorn (NED)

21

Tom De Sutter

1

Nationality: Dutch

25

Dieumerci Mbokani

2


45

Massimo Bruno


Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off


TEAM PROFILES

1

90 90

90

90

90

90

79

45

72

66

90


COACH John van den Brom Born: 04/10/1966, Amersfoort (NED) Nationality: Dutch Matches in UEFA Champions League: 6 Head coach from: 29/05/2012

73

FC BATE BORISOV

SL BENFICA

Belarus

Portugal

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

19

PLAYERS USED

9

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1 31-45

0 45+

1 46-60

0 61-75

3 76-90

1

0

0


Player

Goals

LIL

BAY

VAL

VAL

LIL

BAY

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 30

Aleksandr Gutor

35

Andrei Gorbunov

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90

90

90

90

90

90

Artem Radkov

18

Maksim Bordachev

21

Yegor Filipenko

22

Marko Simić

33

Denis Polyakov

3

90

5

9

61-75

76-90

0

POSSESSION 47%




Max: 58% v LOSC (h) Min: 38% v Bayern (h)

Max: 513 v Valencia (h) Min: 410 v Bayern (h)

Max: 73% v Valencia (h) and Bayern (a) Min: 64% v Bayern (h)

PASSES PER GAME 72 (15% of total) 303 (64%) 99 (21%)

Dmitri Likhtarovich

7

Artem Kontsevoi

8

Aleksandr Volodko

10

Renan Bressan

15

Aleksandr Hleb

Artur Paulo Lopes

4 5

Luisinho

SPM

SPM

CEL

BAR

(h)

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

90

S

90

I

I 12

90

90

90

90

Melgarejo

90

90

90

90

90

90

33

Jardel

90

90

90

90

1

34

André Almeida

90

90

90

90

90

90

1

66

53

55 2

45

58

8

Bruno César

20

45

1

90

90

75

90

45

90

9

Nolito

7

15

2

10

6

15

88

90

32

10

Pablo Aimar

63

30

90

90

90

77

77

90

15

Ola John

S

90

45

I

I

I

90

90

90

90

90

20

Nicolás Gaitán

83

75

25

I

15

21

Nemanja Matić

90

90

89

S

78

35

Enzo Pérez

90

60

90

90

90

89

André Gomes

Forwards 24

13

90

90

78

Roman Vasilyuk

I

I

90

3

I 90

90

13

87

I 90

Carlos Martins

90

1

I 90

Eduardo Salvio

35

89

I

17

I

2

COACH Viktor Goncharenko

90

66

7

24


Born: 10/06/1977, Khoiniki, Gomel (BLR) Nationality: Belarusian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 18 Head coach from: 13/11/2007

8

10

4

61-75

76-90

1 90+

POSSESSION 45%




Max: 61% v Celtic (h) Min: 25% v Barcelona (h)

Max: 121,761 v Spartak (a) Min: 113,100 v Celtic (a)

Max: 503 v Spartak (a) Min: 306 v Barcelona (h)

Max: 66% v Spartak (h) Min: 57% v Spartak (a)

66 (16% of total)

Medium

250 (60%)

Short

104 (24%)

TEAM SHAPE V CELTIC (H)



90 I 90

Forwards 7

Óscar Cardozo

2

11

Lima

1

19

Rodrigo

27 70

I

25

45

90

16

90

90

74

75

74

65

45


74

1

16

1

18

37

1

2

63

I

I

Vitali Rodionov

0 90+

27

90

24

Dmitri Mozolevski

16

I

I

20

1

65

83

24

13

76-90

Midfielders

66

66

90

82

25

90

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Long

90

90

84

0

PASSES PER GAME

90

90

90

90

90

90

80

90

90

Ezequiel Garay

1

90

S

Maxi Pereira

24

1

90

90

14

90 69so

BAR

(a)

90

Luisão

84

90

CEL

Defenders

90

Aleksandr Pavlov Dmitri Baga

1 13

90

TEAM SHAPE V BAYERN (A)

Goals

Goalkeepers

90

Edgar Olekhnovich Mikhail Sivakov

Player

90

17 25

No

90

23 32


90

90

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90

Midfielders 2

0

90+

90

90 1

61-75

AVERAGES:

Short

90

46-60

2

AVERAGES:

6 90

45+

1


Medium

90

31-45

0


Long

Aleksandr Yurevich

14

1

1


31-45 Half-time 46-60

Max: 123,990 v LOSC (a) Min: 114,665 v Valencia (a)

Defenders 5

0

0

1


1-15 16-30 Minutes

5

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

2

1

20

PLAYERS USED

TEAM PROFILES

74

COACH Jorge Jesus Born: 24/07/1954, Amadora (POR) Nationality: Portuguese Matches in UEFA Champions League: 22 Head coach from: 16/06/2009

75

SC BRAGA

CHELSEA FC

Portugal

England

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

20

PLAYERS USED

7

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1 31-45

0 45+

1 46-60

0 61-75

0 76-90

1

1 90+

0

0


Player

Goals

CFR

GAL

MU

MU

CFR

GAL

(h)

(a)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

Goalkeepers 1

Quim

33

Beto

90 90

90

90

90

90

Nuno André Coelho

20

Elderson

21

Ismaily

90

84

25

Leandro Salino

70

90

90

26

Paulo Vinícius

90

90

44

Douglão

90

90

1

90

90

90

90

90

1

90 90

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

3

9

61-75

76-90

2

Rúben Amorim

8

Mossoró

1

90

14

Rúben Micael

1

90

22

Djamal

27

Custódio

POSSESSION 52%




Max: 65% v CFR (h) Min: 38% v Galatasaray (a)

Max: 669 v CFR (h) Min: 363 v Galatasaray (a)

Max: 78% v CFR (h) Min: 62% v Galatasaray (a)

Max: 115,021 v Manchester United (a) Min: 108,587 v Galatasaray (h)* *Excluding matchday five v CFR (a) when playing second half with 10

Long

79 (15% of total)

Medium

340 (64%)

Short

111 (21%)

30

Alan

45

Hugo Viana

5


Player

1

Petr Čech

22

Ross Turnbull

I

90

60

4

David Luiz

90

90

90

90

90

90

19

Paulo Ferreira

Ryan Bertrand

90

90

34

4

4

22

90

Midfielders

88

90

90

90

90

6

90

Forwards


9

Paulo César

20

I

I

I

10

Hélder Barbosa

45

6

10

5

57

17

Éder

90

90

90

90

57

29

Zé Luis

26

2

1

33

83

Carlão

I

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹ = Played in midfield

COACH 86 4

José Peseiro Born: 04/04/1960, Coruche (POR) Nationality: Portuguese Matches in UEFA Champions League: 6


2

16 1

90 90

90 90

90

90

76-90

1 90+

0

2

7

3

61-75

76-90

7

Ramires

8

Frank Lampard

11

Oscar

12

John Obi Mikel

17

Eden Hazard

I

I

21

Fernando Torres

90+

POSSESSION 51%




Max: 56% v Nordsjælland (h) (Benítez in charge) Min: 44% v Shakhtar (h)

Max: 118,176 v Nordsjælland (a) Min: 109,000 v Juventus (h)

Max: 643 v Nordsjælland (a) Min: 348 v Shakhtar (h)

Max: 80% v Nordsjælland (a) Min: 68% v Shakhtar (h)

Long

69 (13% of total)

Medium

324 (63%)

Short

123 (24%)

TEAM SHAPE V JUVENTUS (H)

30

90

90 69

90

90

90

90

65

90

90

18

I

I

I

75

90

90

79

90

25

90

7

90

90

71

90

25

72

90

90

90

3

90

90

70

90

19

90

15

83

90

90

90

74

Roberto Di Matteo

11

30

90

Born: 29/05/1970, Schaffhausen (SUI)

1 5

Forwards 9

0

60 ¹

Oriol Romeu

10

Juan Mata

3

13

Victor Moses

1

23

Daniel Sturridge

65 I

20

1

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away ¹ = Played in midfield

I


COACH

Nationality: Italian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 11 Head coach from: 04/03/2012 to 21/11/2012


76

4

PASSES PER GAME

90

85

11

90

90

César Azpilicueta

90

90

90

John Terry

68

90

Ashley Cole

28

90

90

3

26

86

90

90

S

90

90

90

45so

86

(h)

90

90

90

FCN

(a)

90

I

78

JUV

(h)

90

Gary Cahill

45

SHK

(a)

90

24

64

SHK

(a)

Branislav Ivanović

90

79

FCN

(h)

2

I

I

JUV

Defenders

I

TEAM SHAPE V MANCHESTER UNITED (H)

Goals

Goalkeepers

90

90

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

AVERAGES:

90

90

61-75

AVERAGES:

33

90

46-60

2


90

80

45+

2


90¹

90

1

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90

12 90

0

90+

Midfielders 5

31-45

1

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 13/18 (Di Matteo 10/15; Benítez 3/3)

PASSES PER GAME

Defenders 4

1

5

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes


1-15 16-30 Minutes

16

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

3

1

19

PLAYERS USED

Replaced by Rafael Benítez (Madrid, ESP, 16/04/1960; 83 UCL games) for matchday six

TEAM PROFILES

77

CFR 1907 CLUJ

GNK DINAMO ZAGREB

Romania

Croatia

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

19

PLAYERS USED (Paulo Sérgio 18)

9

GOALS SCORED (Paulo Sérgio 5)

2

3

1-15 16-30 Minutes

31-45

0 45+

2 46-60

0 61-75

0 76-90

0

0

1


Player

Goals

Goalkeepers 1 Mário Felgueiras 44 Eduard Stăncioiu

(a)

90

Defenders 3 Ivo Pinto 8 László Sepsi 12 Vasile Maftei 13 Felice Piccolo 20 Cadú 24 Ionuţ Rada Midfielders 6 Gabriel Mureşan 10 Diogo Valente 23 Nicolas Godemèche 25 Luís Alberto 30 Rui Pedro 31 Matías Aguirregaray 45 Camora Forwards 9 Pantelis Kapetanos 11 Viorel Nicoară 16 Rafael Bastos 19 Saša Bjelanović 99 Modou Sougou

SCB

90 90 S

1 3

1 2 1

MU (h)

90

90 90

GAL (a)

90

90 53

GAL (h)

90

90 31

90 90

90 90

90 90 37

90 I 25 65 11 45 90

90

12

66

90 90

90 13 45 90

80 90

28so 90

61 10 90 29 24

78 18 72

90 79 45

I

90 90

SCB (h)

90

90 I

MU (a)

90

90 90 90

90 I 12 90 90 90

90

90

S 90¹

7 90 81 16 90

90 71 19 90

77

9

1

59 45 90

83 74

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹ = Played at left-back; Own goal by Dany Nounkeu v Galatasaray (a)

1

2

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

5

7

61-75

76-90

1

0

90+

31-45

0 45+

0 46-60

0 61-75

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

0

2

3

31-45 Half-time 46-60

6 76-90

AVERAGES:

AVERAGES:

POSSESSION 37%




Max: 117,226 v Manchester United (a) Min: 111,641 v Manchester United (h)

Max: 408 v Manchester United (a) Min: 341 v Manchester United (h)

Max: 61% v Manchester United (h) Min: 28% v Galatasaray (a)

*Excluding matchday three v Galatasaray (a) when playing 62 minutes with 10

PASSES PER GAME Long Medium Short

76-90

5


Max: 40% v Galatasaray (a) Min: 32% v Manchester United (h)

0

61-75



Player

Goals

POR

DK

PSG

PSG

POR

DK

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

(h)

90

90

90

90

90

90

Goalkeepers 30

Ivan Kelava

33

Romeo Mitrović

1 90+

79 (21% of total)

2

Ante Puljić

90

208 (57%)

3

Luis Ibáñez¹

45

4

Josip Šimunić

90

90

13

Tonel

90

90

14

Šime Vrsaljko

80 (22%)

TEAM SHAPE V MANCHESTER UNITED (A)

1 90+

POSSESSION 46%

PASSES ATTEMPTED 494*


PASSING ACCURACY 69%*

Max: 54% v Dynamo Kyiv (h) Min: 38% v PSG (h)

Max: 620 v PSG (a) Min: 408 v Porto (h)

Max: 76% v PSG (a) Min: 62% v Porto (h) and v PSG (h) Max: 119,226 v PSG (h) Min: 109,223 v Porto (a) * Excluding matchday six when conditions in Zagreb impeded reliable data gathering

PASSES PER GAME

Defenders 90¹

Long

14 90

90

62

90

90

90

90

90

90

19

Josip Pivarić

90

90

90

90

90

19

24

Domagoj Vida

90

90

90¹

90

90

90

90

90

59 (12% of total)

Medium

310 (63%)

Short

125 (25%)

TEAM SHAPE V PORTO (A)

Midfielders


5

Adrián Calello

80

45

45

17

6

Arijan Ademi

58

90

I

90

8

Mateo Kovačić

10

90

90

86

90

90

10

Sammir

90

78

90

90

76

90

23

12 1

4

6

90

90

90

71

86

90

17

Bryan Carrasco

28

Alen Halilović

77

Marcelo Brozović

90

90

Forwards

COACHES

78

0


78 90

0

0

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 18/18 (Paulo Sérgio 9/9)

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

TIME SCORED 2

19

PLAYERS USED

Ioan Andone

Paulo Sérgio

Born: 15/03/1960, Spalnaca (ROU)

Born: 19/02/1968, Estremoz (POR)

Nationality: Romanian

Nationality: Portuguese






21

Fatos Bećiraj

32

58

55

Ante Rukavina

67

32

20

73

I

I

90

Duje Čop

90

45

70

28

84

60

99

Ivan Krstanović

I

4

30

1

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away ¹ = played as a midfielder

COACH Ante Čačić Born: 29/09/1953, Zagreb (CRO) Nationality: Croatian Matches in UEFA Champions League: 5 Head coach from: 23/12/2011 to 26/11/2012 Replaced by Krunoslav Jurčić (Ljubuski, BIH, 26/11/1969; seven UCL matches) for matchday six.

TEAM PROFILES

79

FC DYNAMO KYIV

LOSC LILLE

Ukraine

France

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

21

PLAYERS USED

6

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1 31-45

1 45+

0 46-60

1 61-75

1 76-90

0

0

0


Player

Goals

PSG

DZ

POR

POR

PSG

DZ

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 1

Olexandr Shovkovskiy

35

Maxym Koval

90

90

90

90

90

90

Defenders 2 3

Danilo Silva

90

Betão

45

90

I 90

I 90

2

2

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90

3

8

61-75

76-90

0

1

POSSESSION 47%

PASSES ATTEMPTED 469*


PASSING ACCURACY 67%*

Max: 52% v PSG (h) Min: 38% v Porto (h)

Max: 575 v PSG (a) Min: 360 v Porto (h)

Max: 74% v PSG (a) Max: 121,839 v Dinamo Zagreb (h) and v Dinamo Zagreb (h) Min: 52% v Porto (h)) Min: 110,603 v Porto (a) * Averages exclude matchday six when conditions prevented reliable data collection


Medium

278 (59%)

Short

117 (25%)


Player

1

Mickaël Landreau

16

Steeve Elana

2 3

Lucas Digne

15

Djibril Sidibé

18

Franck Béria Laurent Bonnart

90

90

I

90

90

90

90

90

34

Yevhen Khacheridi

90

90

90

90

90

I

21 22

Aurélien Chedjou

90

90

90

90

90

90

25

Marko Baša

37

90

84

88

90¹

Midfielders

90

Andriy Yarmolenko

19

Denys Garmash

20

Oleh Gusev

21

Niko Kranjčar

23

Andriy Bogdanov

25

Lukman Haruna

99

Dudu

1 2

90

80

90

53

45

90

13

83

90

90

77

45

6

2

I 32

23

90

4

Florent Balmont

78

90

5

Idrissa Gueye

67

I

10

Marvin Martin

I

14

David Rozehnal

12

1

67

90

90

82

Forwards 10

Artem Milevskiy

11

Ideye Brown

13

Admir Mehmedi

15

Marco Ruben

85

Raffael

I 1

90

90

I

58

23

90

23

90

10 90

7

76 14

67 I

I

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away Own goal by Josip Pivarić v Dinamo (h)

I

(Average position of players during the match)

COACH 8

I

Patterns of team link up: Most frequently played passes:

BAY

BAY

BTE

VAL

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

(h)

0

4

2

31-45 Half-time 46-60

90

90

90 90

90

17

Benoît Pedretti

24

Rio Mavuba

85 90 1

86so 8

5

S 90

90 I

90 90

90

90

90

90

74so

S

I

90

1

90

82

90

90

I

90

90

90

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

I

I

90

6

6

61-75

76-90

90

I

90

18

77

35

1

45

90 90

45

90

90

90

90

I

I

45

Dimitri Payet

8

Salomon Kalou

1

90

90

34

45

21

20

90

I

56

72

69

90

45

26

90

45

I

I

73

13

I

I

I

Nationality: Ukrainian

19

Gianni Bruno

65

77

Matches in UEFA Champions League: 5*

20

Ronny Rodelin

90

90

26

Nolan Roux

25

13

1 17 45

64

77

90


TEAM PROFILES



Max: 601 v BATE (h) Min: 435 v Valencia (h)

Max: 76% v BATE (h) Min: 64% v Valencia (a)


Medium

322 (65%)

Short

101 (20%)

TEAM SHAPE V BAYERN (H)


45

Yuri Semin (Orenburg, RUS, 11/05/1947; 33 UCL matches) was in charge for matchday one

90+

S 55

Forwards 7

0

70

Túlio De Melo


0 90+

13

Ryan Mendes


76-90


Max: 54% v BATE (h) Min: 38% v Bayern (a)

Long

9

Born: 05/11/1952, Kyiv (UKR)

0

POSSESSION 45%

Max: 118,020 v BATE (h) Min: 109,395 v Bayern (a)

11

Oleh Blokhin

* Although in charge of the team, he was not on the bench in Porto and did not travel to Zagreb for health reasons

80

VAL

(h)

90

Mathieu Debuchy

90

Midfielders

BTE

Defenders

90

TEAM SHAPE V PORTO (A)

Goals

Goalkeepers

90

9

61-75

AVERAGES:

45

Ognjen Vukojević

46-60

0

AVERAGES:

Taras Mikhalik

5

45+

2


Taye Taiwo

1

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90+

17

Miguel Veloso

31-45

0


33

4

1


Long

90 90

0

31-45 Half-time 46-60

0

1


1-15 16-30 Minutes

4

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1

1

22

PLAYERS USED

COACH Rudi Garcia Born: 20/02/1964, Nemours (FRA) Nationality: French Matches in UEFA Champions League: 12 Head coach from: 18/06/2008

81

MANCHESTER CITY FC

MONTPELLIER HÉRAULT SC

England

France

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

21

PLAYERS USED

7

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

0 31-45

0 45+

0 46-60

3 61-75

2 76-90

0

0

0


Player

Goals

RM

BVB

AJX

AJX

RM

BVB

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 1

Joe Hart

30

Costel Pantilimon

90

90

90

90

90

90

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

2

3

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Micah Richards

3

Maicon

74

I

4

Vincent Kompany

90

90

5

Pablo Zabaleta

16

90

6

Joleon Lescott

13

Aleksandar Kolarov

22

Gaël Clichy

I

1

Matija Nastasić

90 90

I

I

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

21

63

I

7

4

61-75

76-90

0

James Milner

8

Samir Nasri

14

Javi García

17

Jack Rodwell

18

Gareth Barry

21

David Silva

42

Yaya Touré

POSSESSION 53%




Max: 61% v Dortmund (h) Min: 43% v Madrid (a)

Max: 118,449 v Ajax (a) Min: 107,478 v Madrid (h)

Max: 686 v Dortmund (h) Min: 396 v Madrid (a)

Max: 77% v Ajax (a) Min: 70% v Ajax (h)

Edin Džeko

11

Scott Sinclair

16

Sergio Agüero

32

Carlos Tévez

45

Mario Balotelli

No

Player

Goals

ARS

SCH

OLY

OLY

ARS

SCH

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(a)

(h)

Goalkeepers

77 (13% of total)

Medium

363 (63%)

Short

135 (24%)

TEAM SHAPE V MADRID (A)

1

Laurent Pionnier

16

Geoffrey Jourdren

30

Jonathan Ligali

90 90

90

I 90

90

1 76-90

0 90+

0

2

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

10

5

61-75

76-90

Garry Bocaly

90

52so

S

90

3

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa

90

90

90

90

90¹

90

4

Hilton

90

90

90

79

I

90

5

Henri Bedimo

90

90

90

90

90

12

Daniel Congré

11

90

90

21

Abdel El Kaoutari

90

81

90

90

I

I

22

Benjamin Stambouli

90

25

Mathieu Deplagne

35

90+

POSSESSION 52%




Max: 59% v Olympiacos (h) Min: 45% v Arsenal (a) and v Schalke (a)

Max: 113,737 v Arsenal (h) Min: 103,448 v Olympiacos (h)

Max: 548 v Olympiacos (a) Min: 453 v Schalke (h)

Max: 75% v Schalke (a) Min: 60% v Schalke (h)


2

I

0

I 90

Defenders

45

74 (14% of total)

Medium

313 (61%)

Short

130 (25%)

TEAM SHAPE V OLYMPIACOS (H)

90 12

90

90

I

45 ¹

90

Midfielders 1

37

57

90

34

78

I

2

I

90

90

60

69

45

45

90

56 90 1 1

71

85

90

63

90

I

I

90

I

90

90

90

90

90

S

27

90

90

24

90

64 57

2

90 90

1

9

6

Joris Marveaux

8

Anthony Mounier

10

Younes Belhanda

13 Patterns of team link up: Most frequently played passes:

14 15

Jonathan Tinhan


20

Rémy Cabella

90

90

90

45

COACH

23

Jamel Saihi

90

90

85

90

28

Jonas Martin

I

90

90

88

33

19

66

30

90

12

45

I

26


82


5

Forwards 10

61-75

AVERAGES:

90

90

46-60

1

AVERAGES:

27

90

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

33 90

45+

2


Midfielders 7

0

90+

53 90

31-45

0


Long

2

0

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 18/18 (Including four double substitutions)

PASSES PER GAME

Defenders

33

2

0

2


1-15 16-30 Minutes

6

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

2

0

25

PLAYERS USED

Roberto Mancini

22 68

5

90

62

62

90

67

90

68

90

90

90

23

Marco Estrada

78

68

28

Romain Pitau

S

S

2

22

69

90

Forwards Gaëtan Charbonnier

1

Nationality: Italian

11

Emanuel Herrera

1

12


18

Karim Aït-Fana

1

22

55

I

19

Souleymane Camara

1

78

90

22

I

I

90

I

I

68

45

69

TEAM PROFILES

23

21

90

I

I

I

90

S

67

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off ¹ = played in midfield


COACH

21

9


90

28

John Utaka


80

45

7

Born: 27/11/1964 in Jesi, Ancona, (ITA)

10

René Girard Born: 04/04/1954, Vauvert (FRA) Nationality: French Matches in UEFA Champions League: 6 Head coach from: 03/06/2009

83

FC NORDSJÆLLAND

OLYMPIACOS FC

Denmark

Greece

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

19

PLAYERS USED

4

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

0 31-45

0 45+

0

2 46-60

61-75

0 76-90

0 90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes

1-15 16-30 Minutes


Player

Goals

SHK

CHL

JUV

JUV

SHK

CHL

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 1

Jesper Hansen

16

Thomas Villadsen

25

David Raagaard Jensen

90

90

90

90

90

90

Jores Okore

4

Henrik Kildentoft

8

2

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

10

4

61-75

76-90

0

0

POSSESSION 48%




Max: 56% v Shakhtar (a) Min: 44% v Chelsea (a)

Max: 124,035 v Juventus (h) Min: 115,999 v Chelsea (a)

Max: 620 v Juventus (a) Min: 387 v Juventus (h)

Max: 79% v Shakhtar (a) Min: 64% v Juventus (h)

73 (14% of total)

Medium

328 (62%)

Short

125 (24%)


Player

1

Roy Carroll

42

Balázs Megyeri

15

90

25

Charalambos Lykogiannis

90

26

Drissa Diakité

9

35

Vassilis Torossidis

90

90

90

90

90

90

18

Michael Parkhurst

90

90

90

90

90

19

Mark Gundelach

21

Ivan Runje

90

90

90

90

90

29

TEAM SHAPE V SHAKHTAR (H)

Midfielders Anders Christiansen

28

6

Enoch Adu

90

90

2

45

31

61

2

Giannis Maniatis

90

45

90

90

3

François Modesto

7

Nicolai Stokholm

90

90

90

90

90

90

5

Paulo Machado

17

Søren Christensen

62

15

19

45

59

I

7

Ariel Ibagaza

85

88

90

8

Ljubomir Fejsa

19

David Fuster

20

Kasper Lorentzen Mario Tičinović

24

Kamal Issah

1

72

25

90

90

15

65 25

Forwards 10

Mikkel Beckmann

1

90

75

67

73

I

81 ¹

1

18

65

23

17

75

I

11

Morten Nordstrand

13

Oguzhan Aynaoglu

15

Joshua John

22

Andreas Laudrup

8 1

81

90

90

90

82

9

5

71

45

I

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away ¹ = Played centre-back

84

2 76-90

1 90+

0

0

3

31-45 Half-time 46-60

9

5

61-75

76-90

MH

MH

SCH

ARS

(a)

(a)

(h)

(a)

(h)

90

90

90

90

90

90 90

90 90




Max: 53% v Arsenal (h) Min: 40% v Arsenal (a)

Max: 114,244 v Arsenal (a) Min: 101,095 v Schalke (a)

Max: 535 v Arsenal (h) Min: 364 v Montpellier (a)

Max: 73% v Arsenal (h) Min: 52% v Montpellier (a)

PASSES PER GAME 90

I

90

90

90

90¹

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

2

1

90

90

90

Medium

S

Short

90

74 (17% of total) 253 (59%) 99 (23%)

Decimal points account for the missing 1%

TEAM SHAPE V ARSENAL (A)

I 90

73 1

90+

POSSESSION 46%

Long 90

1

90

I

90

90

90

69

I

90

90

90

90

90

90

72

81

Midfielders

5

23

ARS

(h)

90

Pablo Contreras

Kostas Manolas

Patrick Mtiliga

SCH

Defenders

Dimitris Siovas

I

Goals

Goalkeepers

24

90

61-75

AVERAGES:

23

90

46-60

3

AVERAGES:

José Holebas

90

45+

1


20

90

1


Long 90

31-45

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

90+

PASSES PER GAME

Defenders 2

0

0


(Including one double substitution at half-time)

0

0

1

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 18/18 1

9

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

2

0

20

PLAYERS USED

90


COACH Kasper Hjulmand Born: 09/04/1972, Aalborg (DEN) Nationality: Danish Matches in UEFA Champions League: 6

1

90

81

90

87

90

90

32

17

I

I

9

8

58

90

88

18

25

3

I

60 30

27

Leandro Greco

1

21

67

60

90

65

90

93

Djamel Abdoun

1

69

23

30

90

90

72

9

Marko Pantelić

10

Rafik Djebbour

11

Kostas Mitroglou


COACH

Forwards 9 4

90

I

70

I

16

82

21

90

20

90

74

18

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away ¹ = Played in midfield



1

Leonardo Jardim Born: 01/08/1974, Barcelona (VEN) Nationality: Portuguese Matches in UEFA Champions League: 6 Head coach from: 05/06/2012

TEAM PROFILES

85

FC SPARTAK MOSKVA

FC ZENIT ST PETERSBURG

Russia

Russia

STATISTICS

STATISTICS

23

PLAYERS USED

7

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 Minutes

3 31-45

0 45+

2 46-60

0 61-75

0 76-90

0

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes


Player

Goals

BAR

CEL

SLB

SLB

BAR

CEL

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 30

Sergei Pesyakov

31

Andriy Dykan

32

Artem Rebrov

90 90

I

90

I

90 90

90

I

I

Defenders 2

Juan Insaurralde

90

63so

S

90

90

90

0

1

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

90+

1-15 16-30 Minutes




Max: 57% v Celtic (h) Min: 33% v Barcelona (a)

Max: 124,297 v Benfica (h) Min: 111,821 v Barcelona (a)

Max: 600 v Benfica (h) Min: 340 v Barcelona (a)

Max: 74% v Celtic (a) Min: 59% v Benfica (a)


293 (63%)

Short

102 (22%)

45

32

62

63 ¹

90

Marek Suchý

90

90

11

90

90

23

Dmitri Kombarov

90

90

90

90

90

90

34

Evgeni Makeev

45

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

75

90

76

I

I

I

29

90

90

90

90

79

71

90

88so

73

79

I

I

Patterns of team link up: Most frequently played passes:

I


Kirill Kombarov

17

73 (16% of total)

Medium

S

7

TEAM SHAPE V BENFICA (A)

Midfielders 6

Rafael Carioca

8

Aiden McGeady

90

19

José Manuel Jurado

12

20

Demy de Zeeuw

21

Kim Källström

25

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov

37

Romulo

49

Jano Ananidze

1

1

S

66

78

90

90 58

28

27

9

Ari

10

Artem Dzyuba

11

Welliton

22

Aleksandr Kozlov

29

Emmanuel Emenike

1

83 7

87

90

14

90

17 90

90

I

Player

Goals

MAL

ACM

AND

AND

MAL

ACM

(a)

(h)

(h)

(a)

(h)

(a)

Goalkeepers 16

Vyacheslav Malafeev

30

Yuri Zhevnov

71

Egor Baburin

90

90

90

90

90

90

Defenders 2

Aleksandr Anyukov

90 90

90

90

90

81

90

3

Bruno Alves

14

21

90

90

4

Domenico Criscito

I

90

90

90

I

I

6

Nicolas Lombaerts

90

90

90

69

90

90

90

90

90

90

90

14

Tomáš Hubočan

24

Aleksandar Luković

40

82

Michael Lumb

4

1

1

5

8

61-75

76-90

1 90+

POSSESSION 51%




Max: 56% v Málaga (h) Min: 43% v Milan (a)

Max: 118,101 v Milan (a) Min: 109,589 v Málaga (a)

Max: 605 v Málaga (h) Min: 436 v Milan (h)

Max: 74% v Málaga (a) Min: 63% v Milan (a)

72 (14% of total)

Medium

329 (64%)

Short

115 (22%)

TEAM SHAPE V MILAN (H)

1

15

Roman Shirokov

18

Konstantin Zyryanov

20

Viktor Fayzulin

1 1

86

90

76

75

18

23

90

79

58

I

67

25

Sergei Semak

I

27

Igor Denisov

90

28

Axel Witsel

34

Vladimir Bystrov

90

72

45 90

90 90

I

90

90

90

90

90

50

72

32

77

9 so

S

I

90

I

I

I

45

90

27

I

11

Aleksandr Kerzhakov

1

90

90

90

90

90

29

Hulk

1

90

90

90

I

90

77

Luka Djordjević

99

Maksim Kanunnikov

Head coach from: 13/05 to 25/11/2012 Replaced by Valeri Karpin (Narva, EST, 02/02/1969; seven UCL matches) for matchday six



COACH

Forwards 2


I

90

Danny

Nationality: Spanish

88 10

18

Aleksandr Bukharov

90

1

31-45 Half-time 46-60

Long

10

63

0 90+

PASSES PER GAME

9

Bold = Started on the bench; S = Suspended; = Taken off; = Brought on; I = Injured/ill; (h) = Home; (a) = Away; so = Sent off Own goals by Daniel Alves v Barcelona (a) and Jardel v Benfica (h) ¹ = played as a midfielder

86

No

Born: 03/11/1971 in Fuenterrabia/Hondarribia (ESP)

3 2


Unai Emery

19

0

1-15 16-30 Minutes

61

90

76-90

Midfielders

COACH

Forwards

0

90+

POSSESSION 47%

76so

I

61-75

1


0


15

46-60

1

AVERAGES:

90

Nicolas Pareja

76-90

45+

2

AVERAGES:

90

5

61-75

31-45

1


11

Sergei Bryzgalov

6

1


24

3

8

0

0

SUBSTITUTIONS MADE 16/18 (Including one double substitution) 0

6

GOALS SCORED

TIME SCORED

1

1

21

PLAYERS USED

1 90

13

Born: 07/03/1959, Certaldo (ITA)

80

Nationality: Italian

2


15 11

Luciano Spalletti



TEAM PROFILES

87

Impressum Editorial Ioan Lupescu, Frank Ludolph, Graham Turner Technical observers Jean-Paul Brigger, Roy Hodgson, György Mezey, Peter Rudbæk, Paulo Sousa, Gareth Southgate Production John Atkin, Michael Harrold, Patrick Hart, Andrew Haslam, Dominique Maurer Design Ranald Graham, Tomás Louro (Designwerk) Administration/coordination Stéphanie Tétaz, David Gough, Jim Agnew, Andy Lockwood Photography Getty Images Printing m press

©UEFA 2013. All rights reserved. The CHAMPIONS LEAGUE and UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE words, the UEFA Champions League logo and trophy and the UEFA Champions League Final logos are protected by trade marks and/or copyright of UEFA. No use for commercial purposes may be made of such trade marks.

Technical report 2012/13

2012/13 UEFA Champions League technical report